


All the World's a Stage

by NEIWIS



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Friendship, Gen, Not Canon Compliant - The Trials of Apollo, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:40:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 63,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24580957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NEIWIS/pseuds/NEIWIS
Summary: When a page of a Sibylline Book is found, the demigod world is thrown into disarray. Artemis tasks Thalia with retrieving the rest of the book, which is stuck in a city frozen in time. The city itself is embroiled in the aftermath of a war, and Thalia does not know she can truly trust. She soon learns that she was not the only demigod sent to find the book.In the middle of the night, Reyna learns that a page has been found, and it is up to her to retrieve the rest of the book and return it to the Romans, alone. Knowing exactly who she can trust, Reyna sets her focus on completing her task, no matter who or what stands in her way.Neither demigod knows that an ancient evil has set the stage to finally seize the power that was stolen from them so long ago. The demigods must work together to figure out who is friend and who is foe, before the puppet master completes their master plan.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea that has been circling around my head for awhile now, and it all finally came together. This story takes places after Blood of Olympus and just pretends that Trials of Apollos doesn't exist.  
> I hope everyone enjoys.

“So little brother, how goes the prophecy hunt?” Thalia asked. She sat back against her bedroll and studied the Iris message in front of her. Her eyes meet the soft, kind eyes of Jason. His Camp Half-Blood shirt and necklace peeked out from underneath his toga. His blonde hair was ruffled, like someone had been running their hand through it.

From how Jason was hunched over, he was sitting on a table. Every few seconds, he would raise his hand and toss a single jellybean into his mouth. There was a small grin on his face, and for the first time that month, he seemed relax

After the war with Gaea, things had been going almost perfectly. The two camps were on friendly terms and were actively sending campers back and forth. A praetor would stop by at least once a month on official business, and fifteen days later, Camp Half-Blood would send a head counselor, usually Annabeth or Piper, to Camp Jupiter. The leaders would spend the day talking and smoothing over any concerns.

Everything with the Hunters of Artemis was going great as well. They had replenished their numbers lost against Orion and had visited both camps numerous times. On the rare times that the Amazons needed help, their queen, Hylla, would send a veiled message to Thalia that asked for help while making it seem that Hylla was doing them a favor.

“Still nothing,” Jason answered. He looked at Thalia. The only bad thing about their newfound peace was that the powers of prophecy for the Oracle at Camp Half-Blood was broken. If Camp Jupiter was suffering the same issue, they didn't say anything. They had appointed a new Augur, but the girl was weird. She treated all of the stuffed animals that she sacrificed like they were real animals, and she compared everyone that met to those stuffed animals. Thalia's only meeting with the Augur had her being compared to the deformed squirrel plush that hung on the girl's right hip, and Thalia still didn't know how to feel about that.

“Has Ella been anymore helpful?” Thalia asked. Her mind turned to the Harpy that had been rescued by the seven on one of their various quests. She stayed at Camp Half-Blood at all times, and she was trying to help their Oracle, Rachel Dare, write down the prophecies that she had read from the Sibylline books.

The Sibylline books were not something that Thalia knew much about, no matter how much she tried to learn about them. She knew that there had been a large amount of books made by some crazy lady, and the books had been burned. Only a few scraps of pages had survived. Those rested at Camp Jupiter and were fiercely guarded by the Romans, and the Romans wouldn't tell them anything else about the books.

The old Augur, Octavian, wanted the praetors to allow a quest to retrieve the books, even though he didn't know where they were. It was unlikely that the books had survived being burned, but Thalia knew if a book was intact, whoever got it would hold great power. They did not have to wait for a sign from the gods or for an Oracle to spout out words of prophecy. Those words would in their hands, no matter how far back in the past or how far into the future it would happen.

“She's been a great help, but she doesn't remember full prophecies. Just lines,” Jason answered. “She went on a vacation with Tyson two weeks ago, and we've been playing around with the lines that we have been given. Most of the Senate thinks it is a waste of time and some have even questioned about where she found those pages and where those words are actually from.”

“Do you think she went on vacation to the place that she found the pages at?” Thalia asked. Jason shrugged, but the look on his face told Thalia she was correct. “Enough about all the serious stuff. How have you been?”

“Pretty good,” Jason answered, and a genuine smile came to his face. Ever since learning Jason was alive, Thalia vowed to never lose him again. She sent him an Iris message at least once a week and visited once a month. Lady Artemis allowed the visits, since Thalia covered them up as recruitment drives. “What about you?”

“The same,” Thalia answered. “We've been patrolling the whole country. Lady Artemis doesn't have a grand scheme for us just yet, but I know she will.”

Jason nodded and reached his hand down. There was an audible slap, and he jumped. From the corner of the Iris message, a hand picked up a bowl of jellybeans. Jason spoke, “They're not even your favorite.”

“All jellybeans are my favorite,” a voice answered. A smile came to Thalia's face as she recognized the voice. Jason reached his hand out to grab the person, and he pulled them into the view of the Iris message.

“Praetor,” Thalia greeted, and she studied the Roman in front of her. Reyna studied her back with those piercing black eyes. The senior praetor of Camp Jupiter wore her armor, adorned with medals, and her purple cape. While Reyna wore the armor like a second skin, she seemed uncomfortable in her toga.

Thalia knew a warrior when she saw one, and Reyna was a warrior. It wasn't just because she was a daughter of Bellona: Roman goddess of war. It wasn't because she had taken Thalia out easily and almost fought Thalia's Hunters. Reyna was a warrior because she went so far out of her way to keep her people safe and to deliver the Athena Parthenos.

“Lieutenant,” Reyna greeted, and she just stared at the Iris message. Thalia wasn't sure if Reyna didn't like her or if it was just how the Roman was, but Reyna never really smiled near her. She just remained silent and didn't say a word, unless she was asked a question directly. It was so hard to have a conversation with the praetor, but that wasn't going to stop Thalia.

Jason told her that really was just how Reyna acted. She had about twenty different walls up, and it would take forever just to chip away through one. Thalia didn't know if she really believed it though. She saw how well Reyna and Annabeth got along, not to mention Reyna and Piper. There was something about Thalia that Reyna did not like, and Thalia was determined to find out what it was.

“I was just checking up on Jason. He said that Ella took a break from trying to make the Sibylline books. I'm guessing the Romans weren't too happy, were they?” Thalia asked. Reyna seemed to think about it and finally just shrugged. Zero words. Not doing so hot.

“If Lady Artemis doesn't have plans for you, can you visit Camp Jupiter?” Jason asked. He looked at Reyna. “Would that be fine with you?”

Reyna nodded. Okay. Thalia was determined to get a full sentence out of Reyna. Thalia spoke, “If Lady Artemis approves, I would love to visit. Got anything special planned?”

“We'll figure something out,” Jason said. He stole some jellybeans from Reyna, as she was too focused on staring, glaring maybe, at Thalia.

“What about you, praetor? Got anywhere special you want to go? Jason told me there is a bakery that you really like. You could show me,” Thalia said.

“I could,” Reyna said. Two words. Thalia had actually gotten two words out of the girl. Thank the gods. Before Thalia could try for three words, she heard a howl. Thalia turned around and stood.

“I have to go. I'll talk to you two later,” Thalia said, and she ran a hand through the Iris message. It only took her a moment to cross her large tent and step outside. Thalia's bow appeared in her hand, and she was in the middle of notching an arrow when she saw a Cyclops. She raised her bow.

Then, she noticed the orange shirt that the Cyclops wore. He had a necklace of beads around his neck, and there was a smile on his face. While Thalia had only met him a few times, she instantly recognized him, mostly because there wasn't many friendly monsters in the world. Thalia slowly lowered her bow and spoke, “Tyson. What are you doing here?”

“Need help,” Tyson answered. The rest of the Hunters had exited their tents and were also aiming their bows at Tyson, but he seemed unconcerned. Two beady eyes looked at Thalia, and she realized that Ella was riding on the back of Tyson.

“A book,” Ella whispered. Her arms were trapped around Tyson's neck, as if she was afraid of letting go. “I found the book.”

“What book do you speak of,” Artemis asked. She seemed to appear from the shadows, and as she raised a hand, the rest of the Hunters lowered their bows. “You can relax. We will not hurt you.”

“Sibylline,” Ella whispered. A few people behind Thalia gasped. Thalia herself just stared. “We went on a vacation, and we found it.”

“Do you have it?” Artemis slowly asked. She took a small step forward, and there was a disbelieving look on her face.

“No,” Tyson said, but the words came out as almost a whimper. “Everything was weird, and there was a monster.”

“They spoke in the old,” Ella whispered. The smallest of frowns came to Artemis' face. “Something of great evil watched us. It let us escape, because it didn't want us. Blood shed and blood burned. Water doesn't always wash away, not the evil.”

“That doesn't sound like a prophecy,” Thalia began. Her eyes moved back to Artemis.

“It's not,” Artemis said. She looked at Thalia. “It's the rantings of an insane man, one who disappeared for a year and returned beyond repair. But, what does that have to do with the books?”

“My lady?” Thalia began. Artemis looked like she was lost in thought. As Thalia glanced back at the other Hunters to make sure she wasn't going crazy, she saw something odd in the trees. Thalia frowned and turned completely around. Silver eyes studied her and then disappeared so fast that Thalia thought she was imagining things.

“The four of us must speak alone,” Artemis stated. She turned and walked towards her tent. After a moment, Thalia moved to Tyson's side. She gently grabbed his arm and started to lead him towards the tent. Upon stepping inside, Thalia found that Artemis was already pacing intently.

“My lady, what is going on?” Thalia asked. She helped Tyson and Ella sit down. Thalia sat near them.

“Where were you traveling?” Artemis asked quietly. She studied Ella silently and seemed to lost in her own thoughts. “Do you remember?”

“We followed this,” Tyson began. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a journal. Ella made a noise and reached out for it. She took it from Tyson and held it close to herself. “It was found in the ocean. Father gave it to me.”

“Let me see the journal,” Artemis said. Ella made a noise almost like a whimper. She pulled the journal closer to herself. It looked like it had been waterlogged and then dried out, and Thalia doubted much of it, if any, was legible.

“Ella, can we see the journal?” Thalia asked softly. Ella looked at her and shook her head. “I promise that we'll give it back.”

Ella shook her head, but she loosened her grip on the journal. Thalia spoke, “You guys stay at Camp Half-Blood, right? You're friends with Percy and Annabeth? I am too. Percy calls me pinecone face, and I call him seaweed brain. I stole that nickname from Annabeth, but don't tell her I said that.”

“You don't have to show us the journal,” Thalia continued. “But, can you tell us who it is from? Who wrote it?”

“He's like the elephant,” Ella whispered. She looked at Tyson. “The one they wouldn't let me ride.”

“At Camp Jupiter,” Tyson said. He nodded towards Ella. “Their elephant. We weren't allowed to ride it.”

“They named their elephant Hannibal,” Thalia said as she looked at Artemis. A small frown came to Artemis' face. “Jason told me they named him after Hannibal Barca.”

“The journal belongs to Hannibal Barca then,” Artemis stated. Her frown deepened. “But, it was cast into the ocean, as if someone wanted to destroy it. Cyclops, did your father say where he found it?”

Tyson shook his head. He slowly spoke, “We were following the journal. We followed his journey home.”

“Then, everything changed,” Ella whispered. Her eyes looked upwards and seemed to glaze over. “Ruins turned to roots. Gray became green. Rot became growth. There was no sun. No stars.”

“Just rain,” Tyson whispered. He pulled Ella closer to him. Thalia glanced at Artemis. The goddess was studying the two of them quietly. “Something watched us. It followed us.”

“We should have these two escorted back to Camp Half-Blood,” Artemis stated. She stood. “You two can follow me. Thalia, stay here.”

Thalia nodded. She watched Artemis walk towards the tent flap. Tyson followed, but Ella jumped off of the Cyclop's back. The Harpy turned towards Thalia and handed her something. Before Thalia could blink, Ella jumped back on Tyson's back, and they made it towards the tent flap. Artemis turned back to look at them.

Thalia stared down at the paper in her hands. It was burned around the edges, but the words on the page almost seemed to be glowing. Thalia's eyes narrowed, but the page was in another language. While she never really understood the words that Ella said, she understood this well enough. Thalia was holding onto a page of a Sibylline book.

What was the importance of Hannibal's journey though? Thalia never really paid attention to any of Annabeth's history lessons, so she wasn't quite sure who Hannibal was. If the guy had an elephant named after him, that had to be a good thing, right?

Thalia frowned. She could send a message to Jason and ask him about Hannibal and the Sibylline books. It would probably be a good idea to contact both of the camps. Artemis stepped into the tent and looked at Thalia.

“Come,” Artemis ordered. Thalia slowly stood and offered the page. Artemis grabbed it and nodded, as if it confirmed her suspicions. Artemis walked out of the tent, and Thalia followed. “Pack your things. You're going on a quest.”

“A quest?” Thalia asked. She didn't really have an option. When Artemis ordered her to do something, she had to do it, but they didn't really have quests It was more like missions with a few other Hunter of Artemis. The last quest they had ended with their former lieutenant dying, and Thalia didn't really want that trend to continue. “Is anyone coming with?”

“No,” Artemis answered, and she almost sounded tired. “Hurry and grab your things. I will tell you about it on the way.”

“Great,” Thalia said. She let out a sigh. It almost felt like the good old days, rushing off to an unknown place without any information. A small smile came to her face. “Lead the way, my lady. I promise I'll do my best to not get ate by some crazy monster.”


	2. Chapter 2

“We should retire for the night,” Reyna muttered. She lazily stuck her hand into her bowl of jellybeans. Jason had already eaten most of them, but since he promised to replaced them, she would let it pass. A small sigh left Reyna, and she closed her eyes tiredly. The entire day had been spent in a Senate meeting, and she was completely exhausted. The arguing and indecision left her with a huge migraine.

“Yeah,” Jason said. He stood and smiled at Reyna. She didn't return it, mostly because of how muddled her thoughts were. Her mind kept going back to the conversation with Thalia. “You doing okay?”

“Just distracted,” Reyna answered. She ate the handful of jellybeans and slowly stood. Her two dogs darted out of the shadows and to their side.

“Hey Reyna,” Jason began. He walked towards the exit but stopped back to look at her. Reyna slowly looked at him. “Are you doing okay? You seemed off with Thalia.”

“I was distracted,” Reyna began. Jason gave her a look. “It's just been a long day.”

“I guess,” Jason said. He turned towards the exit. “I just thought that you were acting weird, but that's probably just how you are around people you don't know that well. I remember how you were like that with me when we were both centurions and even a little after you were praetor.”

Reyna stopped walking and stared at Jason's back. Upon realizing that he was too dense to connect the dots, she almost let out a deep breath. Thank the gods that Jason was an idiot when it came to her feelings.

There was a good reason that Reyna didn't talk whenever she saw Thalia. It wasn't because she didn't like Thalia, quite the opposite actually. Reyna had a crush on Thalia Grace: immortal huntress of Artemis who swore of love.

Okay. Reyna knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't help that she had a type. That type just happened to be children of Jupiter that she could not actually date. Reyna knew all about that vow that Thalia took, and she would never do anything to interfere with that. It didn't keep Reyna's mind from wondering about the possibilities though.

It wasn't like Reyna could ever voice it. With the whole vow thing aside, Reyna just got completely tongue tied around Thalia. It was hard to form full sentences, as she was worried about embarrassing herself. What if she said something stupid in front of Thalia?

“You coming?” Jason asked. He looked back at her. After a moment, Reyna nodded and followed behind her friend. Reyna had moved past her crush with Jason, since he had a true love in Piper. The two made a good couple, not as good as Jason and Reyna would have, but it was cool. Reyna was over it. Totally over it.

“Have a good night,” Reyna said. She started to part from Jason, and her dogs moved to her side.

“You too,” Jason said, and he took off in the opposite way. A small sigh left Reyna, and she began to make her way towards her house. Then, she almost tripped over one of her dogs. Reyna barely caught her balance and stared down at Aurum. He sat and stared up at her.

Argentum growled softly, and Reyna quickly looked around. She didn't see any threats, but her dogs didn't growl for no reason. Argentum suddenly took off running in the direction of their temples. Aurum started to follow, but when Reyna didn't move, he looked back and growled. After looking around a final time, Reyna followed after her dogs.

The two dogs darted towards the temples. Reyna bit back a curse and chased after them. It would not be a good look if anyone saw the senior praetor running after her dogs like a mad woman. What were her dogs even doing anyway? They had never acted like this.

When her dogs finally stopped, it was outside of a marble temple. Reyna took a moment to catch her breath and then look up at the symbol above her head: a torch crossed her sword. Reyna looked at her dogs and spoke, “Mother knows there are easier way to contact me, right?”

It wasn't like her mother would contact her anyway. It wasn't the Roman way, other than the fact that Mars himself had appeared in camp to announce his son to everyone. Or when the seven got to meet all kinds of gods and goddesses on their quest. All that Reyna got to meet was a nice amount of monsters, a murderous giant, and a statue that probably wouldn't have minded crushing her in a tragic shadow traveling related incident.

Reyna let out a deep breath to release those thoughts. She stepped into the temple and looked around. Reyna studied the freshly polished floors and then the statue of her mother. The statue seemed to be staring down at her. Aurum and Argentum slowly followed behind, but they both let out soft growls.

Why had her mother called her to the temple anyway? She could have appeared in Reyna's dreams, for once. That would have been a nice surprise. Aurum and Argentum suddenly whimpered, and they both rolled onto their backs. Reyna turned and looked around.

A low growl cut through the air. Reyna stopped walking and slowly turned around. Near the entrance, two silver eyes watched her. Reyna bowed her head and kept her arms behind her back. After a moment, she looked at Lupa.

“A page has been found,” Lupa growled softly Her lips twitched with each word, as if speaking aloud hurt her. Lupa normally spoke with her little set of lip curls, twitches, and blinks. It was very rare that she actually spoke using words, and Reyna had only heard about it. She didn't actually think that Lupa could talk. Lupa slowly walked towards her, and her nails tapped against the marble floor. “They know.”

“Page?” Reyna slowly asked. She blinked a few times in confusion. Reyna had only seen Lupa a few times after her visit to the wolf house. What was so important that Lupa was appearing in the middle of the night, under the guise of Bellona calling for her daughter?

“The Sibylline Books,” Lupa growled. She moved closer to Reyna. All Reyna could do was stare. She knew all about the Sibylline Books. They had been created by the Oracle Sibyl, and she offered nine of them to a Roman king. He turned her down, so she burned three books. When she offered again, he turned her down. More books were burned, until the king finally agreed.

The books were not truly destroyed though. Fire could not destroy prophetic words. They were scattered in the wind and would go on to fuel wars. Most were actually lost, thrown into Tartarus or some other damned place never to be found again.

“One of them was found,” Lupa growled. Her growl shook the marble floor. Reyna saw a backpack appear next to her, along with a duffel bag. “You must retrieve it, praetor.”

“Whatever is needed,” Reyna said, and she bowed her head once again. This wasn't going to be a typical quest or mission. The Senate would not be informed, not if they were doing this underneath the gaze of one of Camp Jupiter's prominent goddess. It wasn't underneath the gaze of Jupiter or Mars. It was underneath the gaze of a Roman, and only a Roman, goddess.

“Should I tell Frank?” Reyna asked. She knew the answer, but she needed to confirm her suspicions. Lupa growled, which sent shivers down Reyna's spine. “You don't want Camp Half-Blood to know.”

“No one can know,” Lupa corrected. “Camp Half-Blood will soon know that it exists, but they will rely on the words of a beast. I know where the book is, and you are going to retrieve it. The Sibylline Books have always held importance in Rome. Romans are the ones who lost them, so Romans must earn the books back, without help.”

Reyna nodded, even if she didn't agree with it. Romans did lose the books, so it was only right that they proved their strength by getting it back. If they worked with the Greeks, they could find the book easier and share the knowledge that was inside. They were working with Camp Half-Blood, so what was the harm?

Lupa growled, as if she knew what Reyna was thinking. Lupa spoke, “It is of the utmost importance that no one else knows what you are doing, until you have retrieved the book and brought it back to the wolf house.”

“Change,” Lupa ordered. Reyna looked down and slowly grabbed the duffel bag. She took off her current gold armor and her cape. Reyna examined the armor that Lupa had given her. It seemed to made of iron. The design was older than their current armor but also more protective. Upon going to put her cape back in the duffel bag with her armor, Lupa growled again. “Keep it.”

Reyna nodded and quickly fastened the cape to her new armor. Lupa walked around her and placed her nose to Reyna's back. A chill ran down her spine. It took a moment for Reyna to turn her head and look at her cape. It was now black and her some kind of gray symbol on it, maybe a wolf's head.

“Frank Zhang will be left with a note that you had a family emergency and had to leave in the middle of the night,” Lupa stated. “Let us go.”

Reyna argued that there was no where to go. She didn't even know what was going on. A Sibylline Book had been found, and the Greeks would learn about it soon, which apparently wasn't a good thing. Reyna didn't know who had the book, where she was going, or why Lupa needed it to be a secret.

“There is a letter tucked in your armor. Give it to him, and he will explain everything,” Lupa growled. She brushed against Reyna, and the world around them changed. Reyna had the sensation of spinning, but it wasn't like shadow travel. This felt like someone had sat her in the middle of a carousel and then spun it about a hundred miles a hour.

Reyna stumbled away and fell to her knees. She barely kept from throwing up all of the jellybeans she had gouged on only twenty minutes before. Reyna buried her face in her hands and took deep breaths. How had everything changed so fast? What was going on?

After a minute of calming down, Reyna lowered her hands and stared at the dirt beneath her feet. She slowly stood and looked up. Reyna stared at the destroyed ruins in front of her. There was crumbled buildings all in front of her, but any leftover rubble on the ground had been cleared away long ago. It seemed to be centuries old, millennia even.

If Reyna looked close enough, she could see something was wrong. She blinked a few times and tried to focus, but her head started to ache. Reyna looked away and then looked around. She gritted her teeth and tried to keep her frustration to herself.

Behind her was what looked to be a modern city. There was a few people out in the distance that wore suit, like they had stepped out of a business meeting. A car or two drove by. Reyna turned back towards the ruins. This wasn't an illusion of the Mist. It looked like this was actually a preserved piece of history in the middle of a city, but there was something else there.

“Lupa, I mean no disrespect, but you must tell me what is going on,” Reyna said. She looked at the wolf goddess. Lupa was staring at the ruins, but it was hard to read the look in her eyes. “What are we doing here? What is this place?”

“We stand before the ruins of Carthage,” Lupa answered. Reyna's eyes widened, and if her teeth still weren't gritted, her jaw would have dropped. “A Sibylline Book is here.”

“In the ruins?” Reyna asked. She stared at the ruins, and her eyes focused on something that was further away. Reyna felt her forehead spike in pain, and she looked down.

“You see it, don't you?” Lupa questioned. Reyna nodded slightly. “A portion of the city was frozen in time. The book that you are looking for is somewhere in the city, and you have a limited amount of time to find it. Just remember that time flows oddly through this place.”

Reyna's head started to hurt worse, and it wasn't from trying to look at the near invisible thing in the distance. She bit the inside of her cheek. It was hard to get rid of the frustration that was boiling in her chest. Reyna spoke, “These ruins can't be Carthage.”

“Look past the barrier. Look back into time,” Lupa ordered. Reyna narrowed her eyes and tried to focus. She took a step forward and raised her hand. Her hand hit something that felt like a solid wall, but she also felt like she could pass through it with little resistance, like the barrier at Camp Half-Blood. “I wish I could tell you more.”

“Why can't you?” Reyna demanded. She turned completely towards Lupa and clutched the bag that she had been given. “You keep speaking in riddles, but that isn't going to help me. I'll do whatever it takes, but I have to know what it is that I am doing.”

“Do you know the consequences of mercy? The cost of it?” Lupa asked. The question was so random and off topic that Reyna's anger was lost for a moment. Lupa met her eyes. “Whether it be from a moment of weakness or a slip of judgment, mercy is given, but until you see the consequences of it, you cannot understand why you should never give it.”

Reyna just stared at Lupa. She could feel her temper starting to get the best of her, and she spoke quietly. “Lupa, why do you continue to speak in riddles? None of this makes sense!”

“It will,” Lupa promised. She moved her gaze towards the sky. After a moment, Reyna did as well. Then, a solid weight slammed into her gut and knocked her into the barrier. Reyna fell through it and hit the ground hard.

Reyna quickly jumped to her feet, ready to snap on Lupa. Instead, the found that the goddess was gone. The ruins were gone, along with the modern city that was apparently Carthage. Instead, she stood in a forest. What in Bellona's name had just happened?

Of course, Lupa had trained Reyna for this. The wolf goddess trained all of her Romans to be able to find their way out of a forest if they were ever lost in one. Reyna just didn't think it would be because Lupa had shoved her through an invisible barrier into some unknown forest in the middle of nowhere.

Reyna looked up at the sky, and an annoyed sigh left her. She was suppose to find the sun in the sky and use that to find her way out. There was no sun though. Great. Reyna placed both hands to her face. The rest of the forest was well lit, like there was actually a sun. What had Lupa shoved Reyna into?

“Halt!” a voice called. Reyna slowly turned around and stared at group of armed soldiers, armed Roman, in front of her. Two in the back rode horses, and none of them looked that happy to see her. Well, her day hopefully wouldn't get any worse from here. The Romans in front of her wore armor that was exactly like hers. The one in front wore a black cape, and a frown came to his face as he studied her. He spoke, “State your business!”

Reyna stared at him and debated an answer. The first: she was lost. The second: my trainer, the wolf goddess Lupa, called her away in the middle of the night and then dragged her to this city that had a barrier around the ruins, but when Lupa shoved her into the barrier, Reyna ended up in this forest. After thinking it over for a few moments, Reyna decided on silence. The Roman in the black cape spoke, “Arrest her.”

Two of the Romans stepped forward. Reyna took a step backwards, but she didn't know what to do. It wasn't like she could fight all of them off. They all spoke Latin, so could she just claim to be a high ranking Roman? If she was actually sent back in time, that wouldn't work. Could she just say that Lupa sent her? Another sigh left Reyna. How had she gone from gouging herself on jellybeans to this?”

“Enough,” a voice said. Reyna saw a man walked through the group of Romans. This man wore the same armor as the rest of them, but the plume on his helmet was more decorated than the others. This man spoke like a leader, and the rest of the Romans bowed their heads. Reyna studied the apparent leader of the Romans. He studied her and smiled. “There is no need to harass my praetorian guard, especially when she rushed all the way to get here Now, come. We are late for dinner.”


	3. Chapter 3

As Thalia opened her eyes, a shaky breath left her. She really hated traveling with Artemis, when the goddess used her divine powers to just teleport anywhere. They had done it twice before, and Artemis warned her that she would feel sick the first few times, especially if they had to do it without warning. Thalia had learned to brace herself and not throw up her breakfast.

Thalia stared down at the dirt that she stood on. Upon looking up, she realized that she was standing in front of ruins. It almost looked like one of those historical sites in the books that Annabeth was already reading. Thalia glanced at Artemis. Could she ask the goddess to jump over to Camp Half-Blood, snag Annabeth, and bring her back to the ruins to act as a tour guide, since Thalia had no clue what was going on?

“Where are we?” Thalia asked. She turned around and studied the town behind her. The buildings gave her no hint as to where she actually was, and she didn't see many people walking around. The few that stood nearby but paid them no attention were definitely not speaking English.

“I don't know much of this place,” Artemis admitted. She placed her hand towards the air and suddenly flinched. Artemis pulled her hand away, and there was a burn mark on Artemis' hand. Thalia stared. “I have only heard stories, and I do not know what it true. I know that immortals are not allowed through this barrier.”

“Barrier? Like at Camp Half-Blood?” Thalia asked. She squinted and took a step forward. Artemis suddenly grabbed her arm.

“Don't go through yet,” Artemis warned. “The barrier has a piece of the past trapped in it.”

“What?” Thalia asked. She gave Artemis a confused look. A sad smile came to Artemis' face. Thalia just stared in confusion. What was going on?

“I wish I could tell you more, but we don't even know who created this,” Artemis said. She studied the barrier. Thalia did as well, and if she focused hard enough, she could have sworn that she saw a forest and trees inside the ruins. That couldn't be right though. “I just know that Kronos and his evil magic helped to freeze this place in time, and I'm sure he received a few favors in return.”

“Kronos froze this place in time? He's been in Tartarus,” Thalia began. Artemis nodded. Thalia frowned. She knew that immortals could influence things from inside Tartarus, but was Kronos really powerful enough to trap a place in time? “If this place is frozen in time, am I going back in time?”

“In a way, you will. Something tragic happened here,” Artemis stated. “Something powerful. I wouldn't have believed that it was a Sibylline Book, but it only makes senses. That harpy claimed they followed Hannibal Barca's journal, which means they came to his hometown: Carthage.”

“Never heard of it,” Thalia admitted. She looked back at the city behind her. Was this Carthage? Thalia looked back at Artemis. “Can you fill me in?”

“Hannibal Barca was one of the greatest military strategist of his time, and he was the general for Carthage. Rome and Carthage went to war in three separate Punic Wars,” Artemis explained. “Hannibal was alive during the second war, and he was one of the most successful against Rome, until a general by the name of Scipio pushed him back.”

“Scipio was a demigod and a son of Mars. Very skilled. Very proud of himself. The boy even thought he was comparable to a god. When Carthage lost the war, Rome placed harsh restrictions on them. They lost all of their territories, had to demilitarize, and paid a tribute to Rome. Typical losses from a war,” Artemis continued. She sigh left her. “I could have changed everything.”

“Changed everything?” Thalia slowly asked. Artemis looked at her.

“Scipio had an elite group of soldiers that he called his praetorian guards. At that time, they were just bodyguards of his family and a unit of war. They consisted of demigods. While the history books would never record it, these praetorian guards destroyed supply lines and made life unbearable for Hannibal's army, and they were instrumental in the final defeat at Zama,” Artemis explained.

“Hannibal sent me multiple messages during the war and after. He begged me to use my Hunters to take out these praetorian guards and level the playing field. I do not know how Hannibal learned about the world of immortals, but he was persistent. I did not want to get involved in this war. I sent Zoë to get in contact with them. She told me that she did not have a good feeling about the situation, so we stayed out of it.”

“Rome did not like females to have power, which my Hunters were not welcome. We bounced around all of what is now Europe. I always wonder what would have happened differently if I helped,” Artemis said. She sighed. “When you step in there, make sure that you do not trust anyone. If there is anyone from Rome there, they will try to use you. Any of Hannibal's men will do the same, but they may be more willing to help you,” Artemis said. She looked back at the ruins. “I do not know what you're going to walk into. All I know is that everything inside here was sealed in a barrier, and I think the harpy and cyclops broke that barrier.”

“Let me get this straight,” Thalia said. She held up her hands. “We are at Carthage right now, correct? There is a piece of the city trapped behind this invisible barrier. When I step through, I might be right in the middle of the Punic war or the aftermath. Why hasn't anyone come to this barrier before?”

“The Olympians know that Kronos' dark power has touched this place. We didn't know what was inside here, and sometimes, it is better to leave the unknown alone,” Artemis answered.

“But, Ella and Tyson have forced our hand?” Thalia guessed. Artemis nodded. “What if there isn't a Sibylline Book here and something worse? What should I do?”

“I only want you to scout,” Artemis answered. “I do not know what you are walking into, and I do not want you to be harmed. When you find the Sibylline Book or whatever item was the reason for this, return to the barrier and call for me. I will bring others, and you will lead them back inside.”

“I can do that,” Thalia said. She studied the barrier. “Are the people living the same day over and over again? Do they know that? Are there even people here?”

“I don't know,” Artemis admitted. A sigh left her, and she almost sounded frustrated. “Others will learn that a page from a Sibylline Book was found, and sooner or later, they will learn where it was found. Even if the book is not behind this barrier, something powerful resides here. It cannot fall into the wrong hands.”

Thalia nodded. As she listened to Artemis talk more and more, she realized that Artemis literally had no clue what was behind the barrier. The goddess could give her all kinds of information about the history of this place and the surroundings, but was that really going to help Thalia find what was inside?

A sigh left Thalia. If she said anything aloud, she knew that it would sound ungrateful. Truthfully, it was endearing, if not really weird, that Artemis was trying to be helpful. Most immortals just gave demigods a cryptic hint or a nice threat.

“I'm guessing that I can't message anyone,” Thalia said. Artemis nodded. “Alright. I get to take a nice trip to Carthage and maybe even back into time I also get to hunt down a book that was burned some time ago. Or, I will just find some other horrible device.”

“You will do fine,” Artemis said. Thalia nodded her agreement. She shifted her backpack on her shoulder. Artemis had given her medical supplies, some drachmae and another coin that she assumed was Roman currency. There was also plenty of arrows and a map of ancient Carthage and the area around it. As long as Thalia ended up in Carthage, she would be fine. “Are you ready?”

“I'm ready,” Thalia answered. She turned back towards the ruins and took a deep breath. Scout out the area, find out what item was really inside, and reported back to Artemis. Or, scout out the area, find out what item was really inside, retrieve it, and return it to Artemis before breakfast. Simple. “Actually. Will my powers still work? And your blessing?”

“Both should work,” Artemis answered. She gently grabbed Thalia's shoulder. “Please be safe.”

“Of course, my lady,” Thalia said. Artemis let go of her shoulder. Thalia reached out and felt her hand hit the barrier. It took a little effort, but she forced her hand through. Thalia stepped through completely, and the world started to spin. She stumbled forward and fell to her knees.

Thalia felt like she had gone on the worst roller coaster ever. She waited a few moments for her stomach to settle. Then, she made it to her feet and slowly circled around. The ruins were completely gone, along with the other buildings and mortals that had been walking around. Instead, she was standing in the middle of a thick treeline. She was lucky that she hadn't stumbled face first into a tree.

As rain started to fall, Thalia threw her hood over head. She glanced up and saw the sky was a clear blue, but there was no sun in the sky. She had no problems seeing anything, and it seemed like it was daytime. It was raining steadily, but there was no clouds. Thalia blinked a few times and then let out a deep breath. She watched her breath leave her mouth.

Thalia stared and took a step backwards. She turned around and reached out for the barrier. Her hand passed through empty air. Where exactly had the barrier gone? Thalia let out a deep breath and turned back around. She started to walk.

What was Thalia going to do? Truthfully, she had no clue. Thalia didn't know where the barrier was, and she had no clue how to get back home. She should have known. Quests always sent sideways, so she shouldn't have been surprised that this went wrong literally the second that she set out. For now, Thalia would just find someone, see if they spoke the same language, and go from there.

So, Thalia started to walk. She was careful not to leave behind a trail, as she was accustomed to in the Hunters. Thalia also tried to keep an eye out for any animals, but the forest was silent. While she had learned to zone out the sounds of crickets and other bugs, the noise comforted her. Without it, there was an eerie silence.

This place was wrong. The weather didn't make any sense, and all of the animals were gone. Thalia tried to settle the bad feeling in her gut, and she slipped past a tree. Thalia went to put her foot down, but she suddenly stopped. She glanced down and saw a trip wire beneath her foot. Thalia stepped backwards and looked around for the trap.

Above her, there was a baseball sized bronze ball. It was attached to the tripwire, and she really didn't want to know what was inside. Thalia stepped over the tripwire and continued to walk, looking around for anymore traps.

Thalia stepped past another tree and found herself in a road marked by stone. A glance left and right showed more trees. She decided to turn right and walk down the road, but she made sure to stay in the treeline and out of sight.

Her walk was silent, until she heard the pounding of hooves. Thalia glanced up and stepped behind a tree. She saw a chestnut horse darting down the road. The rider wore Roman armor and had a makeshift satchel bag over their back. As they passed by Thalia, an arrow suddenly tore through their throat, and they fell off the horse.

The horse reared and took off. Thalia tensed and watched two figure step out of the trees. They both wore cloaks, but as they knelt by the body, she caught a glance of their armor. They wore metal tunics and greaves that reminded her of a crude version of Camp Half-Blood's armor.

One searched the body and pulled out a letter. The other looked around, and together, they picked up the body and started to carry it away. Thalia took a step forward but heard a branch snap behind her. She turned and dodged underneath her would be attacker.

Thalia slammed a fist into their stomach, slipped around them, and then punched them in the kidney. They fell, and Thalia kicked them into the tree. She raised her bow and aimed at the other two. Both were halfway across the road and had their swords drawn.

Thalia threw her hood back to be able to check her sides better. One of the men suddenly stopped and spoke in crude Ancient Greek, “It's the Hunter.”

The other man stopped as well. They both suddenly knelt. Thalia lowered her bow and spoke back in Ancient Greek, “Who are you?”

“We are so grateful that you came,” the second man said. He stood and slowly walked towards her. “We did not think that the goddess heard our pleas. Your lieutenant did not seem happy to meet us, and we did not think anymore help would be sent.”

Thalia opened her mouth to tell them that she had never met them before. Then, she caught her reflection in one of their swords. While she still had the silver aura that marked her as a Hunter of Artemis, the circlet that marked her as the lieutenant was gone. She finally spoke, “Lady Artemis sent me.”

Thalia wasn't quite sure if she should claim Greek or Roman allegiance, but since the two men had murdered a Roman and spoke in Ancient Greek, it seemed safer to claim being a Greek. One of them men spoke, “Let me take your back to our headquarters.”

“I was not given much information. I came here in a rush,” Thalia began. She studied the two. “Who are you?”

“My name is Mago, and these two are my brethren,” one of the men said. He took off his helmet. His head was a mess of dirty brown hair, and he had brown eyes. “We are only trying to defend our home and free it from the oppression of the Romans.”

“Right. The oppression,” Thalia said. She watched the second man check over the one that she had subdued. Mago studied her. “The Romans have been oppressing a lot of people, from what I hear.”

Thalia didn't know too much about history, but she knew that Rome had an empire at some point. That meant they oppressed a lot of people, right? Mago nodded and spoke, “We went to war with them, and our leader almost brought them to their knees. They only won by luck, but now, they cripple our homeland. They take more than we can give, so we are fighting back.”

“You said that your leader almost brought them to their knees,” Thalia said. “Who is that?”

“Our leader is the great Hannibal Barca,” Mago said, and he stood straighter. Thalia nodded as she remembered what Artemis had told her. “Come. We will take you to him, and hopefully, we can discuss how to free ourselves from the oppression of the Romans.”


	4. Chapter 4

Reyna was a little overwhelmed by everything that was going on, so all she could do was calm down and focus on one thing at a time. The first thing to focus on was that she had been called a praetorian guard. She learned a lot of things about Roman history, and she knew all about the praetorian guards. They were bodyguards for the emperor, when Rome was an empire.

It was different when Rome was still a republic. They protected consuls and other important members of Rome. When the praetorian guards were created, they started as personal bodyguards for the Scipio family. The only problem was that Reyna did not know where or when she was. At the moment, she really hated Lupa.

The second thing on her mind was the question of what was wrong with Lupa. Why had she dragged Reyna out into the literal middle of nowhere? What was going on? Would she really find a Sibylline Book? An annoyed sigh left Reyna, and she focused on her surroundings.

They were currently walking into a large camp. There was leather tents all around them. A few Romans were making something that looked like stew, and other were making fortifications, like they were expecting a battle. They walked towards the largest tent and stopped in front of it.

The Roman with the fancy plume turned towards them and held the tent open for Reyna. After a moment, Reyna stepped inside. The Roman closed the tent behind them. It took Reyna a moment to examine the inside of the tent.

A small table sat in the middle of the room, near a few benches. There was a map on the table and some bedrolls near the corner of the room. The Roman turned towards Reyna and spoke, “You wear Lupa's symbol on your cape.”

Reyna stared at the Roman. Lupa had told her that there was a letter tucked into her armor that she was suppose to give to someone. After a moment, she reached into one of her pockets and held her letter out to the man. He took it and unfolded it. Reyna's heart raced as the Roman read through the letter.

“What is your name?” the Roman asked. He studied her for a long moment. Reyna kept her hand near her sword. “And your rank.”

“Reyna. I'm a praetor at Camp Jupiter,” Reyna said. “But, I doubt you know what that is.”

“I don't,” the Roman admitted. He took off his helmet. His black hair was carefully shaved, and his brown eyes held a wisdom to them. “I do know that Lupa sent you to help me. What did she tell you?”

“She didn't,” Reyna answered. The Roman grinned, like he expected it. “Who are you?”

“Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus,” the Roman said. Reyna stared at him and had to repeat the name a few times. She knew Scipio well enough, considering she named her Pegasus after him. It wasn't like he was Reyna's favorite general or anything.

When Lupa taught them the basic history of Rome, she always talked fondly of Scipio, like he was her own son. Lupa never talked about anyone like that, so the man must have done amazing things to impress her. So, how had he managed to get frozen in time? Scipio didn't just disappear from history.

“We will talk more over food,” Scipio said. He placed the letter on the table and ran through it a few times. After a minute, he looked up at Reyna. “Apologies. Please take a seat.”

Reyna nodded and slowly did. She took a seat on the bench and stared at the table. Was she just having some kind of odd dream? This couldn't be right. How had Reyna stumbled back into time and manage to find someone that she considered to be a hero? Scipio had saved Rome at their darkest hour, by doing whatever he had to.

“Are you a demigod?” Scipio asked. Reyna nodded and slowly looked around the tent. She looked back at Scipio, and he sat across from her. “Who is your godly parent?”

“Bellona,” Reyna answered after a few moments. She looked at Scipio. “You're a son of Mars.”

“Very good,” Scipio said. The hint of a smile came to his face. “The last one that Lupa sent was not very helpful. A very paranoid and nervous man. Not a praetor. Not from Camp Jupiter.”

“Lupa sent someone else?” Reyna asked with a frown. Scipio nodded. “Can you tell me about it? She dragged me away from my camp and sent me here without a word. All she told me was that a Sibylline Book was here.”

The tent flap behind them opened, and Reyna turned her head. A Roman walked towards them and placed two clay bowls down. Reyna studied the stew that was inside the bowl. A platter of bread was placed near them, along with two clay spoons. The Roman placed a jar down and then left the tent.

“I have been trying to figure it out for some time,” Scipio admitted. “I was sent here with orders to quell talks of rebellion in Carthage. We defeated them in our second, and hopefully last, war some months ago. Before I left, Lupa told me that there was something powerful in this area.”

“The Sibylline Book?” Reyna asked quietly. Scipio dipped his bread into his stew and ate a bite. He seemed to think of his next words as he chewed on his food. Reyna glanced down and dipped her own bread in the stew.

“I do not know for sure,” Scipio finally answered. “I did receive information that a priestess had brought some oracular device here. If it is a Sibylline Book, I cannot confirm, but it would make sense.”

Reyna took a bite of her bread. The stew didn't taste like much, which was probably a good thing. It felt like she had left her stomach in New Rome. Her knees were almost shaking. Reyna spoke, “What happened to this place? What is going on here?”

“I remember the day clearly,” Scipio said. He looked at her and then back down at his stew. “I was visiting a temple to see if the priestess were blessing their men for war or rebellion. When I was leaving the temple, I was ambushed by rebels. For days, I was tortured and questioned about the whereabouts of my fellow Romans.”

“Rebels tortured you. Were they from Carthage? Are we in Carthage?” Reyna asked quietly. Scipio nodded. Reyna closed her eyes. She really was in Carthage and also back in time, apparently. “How did you manage to escape?”

“I didn't,” Scipio answered. Reyna looked up at him in confusion. “In one moment, hot iron was being placed to my chest. In the next, I was laying in my tent. A messenger rushed in to tell me that there was a priestess at a temple who may or many not be blessing rebels for war or rebellion.”

“It was not the first time I had received that message,” Scipio muttered. Reyna stared at him. “He told me one week before I was being tortured.”

“I don't mean to interrupt,” Reyna said. She looked down at the table for a few moments, and her stomach twisted even more. What in Bellona's name had Lupa thrown her into? “You said that you lived this week before.”

“I did. Then, I lived it a second time,” Scipio answerd. “After I spoke to the messenger, the rest of the day played out the same as it did the first time. I thought I was going crazy. Part of me thought I had dreamed the entire sequence of events, so I had a warning for what was coming. This time, I thwarted the ambush and captured a high ranking rebel.”

“I negotiated with the leader of the rebels, but during our negotiations, the prisoner was freed. It was a huge blow, as the man had much information about the rebels,” Scipio said. He sighed sadly. “I should add that I was not alone this second time. There was a man who had stumbled into my camp after the messenger spoke to me. He had the same letter you did. Something happened to him while he was here, and it drove him insane.”

“Then, I was in a meeting with some of my spies. Everything froze, and I woke this morning,” Scipio said. He looked at Reyna. “Then, I find you stumbling into the outskirts of my camp, and the messenger just left.”

“So, something happened that caused your entire week to restart? Twice?” Reyna slowly asked. Scipio nodded. Reyna looked back at the stew. Was she the one going insane? Had she slipped into a jellybean induced coma and was now just dreaming all of this?

“I know it is hard to believe. The last man laughed in my face,” Scipio said. He sighed sadly. “But, I am willing to bet that the Sibylline Book does not want to be destroyed, or someone does not want it to be destroyed. An immortal has trapped us in a loop, and I think the only way to stop it is to find the book.”

Reyna stared at the ground. Time loops were a little out of her expertise. Well, they were very out of her expertise. Reyna knew how to fight, lead, and plan for war. She didn't know how to handle a time loop. Did Lupa hate her that much? Why was she singled out to do this?

“You died though, and you didn't die in Carthage,” Reyna said after a few moments. She could have a panic attack after she learned more. Although, it was very tempting to have one now. “How can you be here but also somewhere else?”

“I was told that much time had passed,” Scipio said. He sighed and looked down. “I noticed it the last time. There are a few demigods with us, and they seem to understand that something is wrong, but they cannot grasp what is happening to us. Mortals here go about their normal routine, but they do not react. It is almost as if someone is controlling them.”

“Like puppets,” Reyna muttered. She looked at the table and tried to make sense of everything that she was being told. It seemed as if Carthage, or a part of it, was stuck in a time loop. It didn't explain how people like Scipio would be found at a later point in history, unless it was all a lie manipulated by the Mist. Or, was it deeper than that? Reyna rubbed her forehead. The migraine created by Lupa was back at full force.

“You must think that I am crazy,” Scipio said. He smiled and continued to eat his bread and stew. “I promise that I am not.”

“I don't think you're crazy, since the demigod world is full of crazy things,” Reyna said. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. Then, she looked back at Scipio. “I just wish that Lupa would have told me more. I just needed any kind of explanation. Instead, she literally shoved me into here.”

“Lupa holds many secrets close to her chest. I am sure that she has always been like that and will continue to be like that. Lupa knows more than anyone else can guess, and I am sure that she knows something about this place,” Scipio said. He pushed the letter towards Reyna.

After a moment, Reyna wiped her hands and grabbed the letter. Her eyes studied it.

_General,_

_I send to you one of my praetors: Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano. She is one of my most trusted and skilled Romans. There is great evil afoot. An item of great power resides in Carthage, and I believe that an old enemy of Rome, Hannibal Barca, has found a way to get his hands on this item. I fear what it is, but I think you know. The two of you must work together to find this item and bring it to where it belongs. Beware that the shadow of the Fallen Wolf of Rome does not consume you._

_Cura ut Valeas_

_Lupa_

Reyna lowered the letter and sat it back on the table. She pushed it towards Scipio. He was studying her intently, as if she was a puzzle that he wanted to figure out. Scipio didn't seem hostile. It just seemed like he was unsure, or worried.

“Who is the fallen wolf of Rome?” Reyna slowly asked. Scipio looked at her and then offered a shake of his head. He finished his stew and shoved it to the side. Reyna looked down at her won. She only had a few bites.

“I am not for sure, but I suspect that it is Lycaon,” Scipio answered. Reyna frowned. She had a run in with the monster before, and considering she didn't even know if she had a silver weapon or not, she wasn't looking forward to facing him again. “My men reported hearing howls through the night.”

“The letter also said that Hannibal Barca is possibly the one who managed to get his hands on the item, and that item is the Sibylline book, presumably,” Reyna said. “But, you pushed for him to become a leader of Carthage. Why?”

“It is better to have the enemy that you know in power instead of the enemy that you don't,” Scipio answered. A sad smile came to his face. “I knew that Hannibal would never be able to rally the support in Carthage to go back to war with us, and even if he managed to, I knew I could defeat him. It is better than some other hotshot rising and trying to rally the people of this place.”

Reyna rubbed her face once again. She was absolutely exhausted. The last hour felt like it had been its own day. Scipio studied her and spoke, “Why don't you get some rest? No one will come into my tent without permission, and we will not leave for the temple until later.”

“I will. Thank you,” Reyna said. She wasn't quite sure what to think about all of the information that had been thrown at her, so it would be nice to sit down, think it through, curse Lupa, and maybe get a hour or two of sleep.

Scipio stood and left the room. Reyna slowly took her backpack off and placed it on the ground. She dug through it and found a sword encased in its sheath. There was two daggers, one which looked to be silver. She saw medical supplies as well, along with a few changes of clothes. It was the perfect kit for wandering into the unknown.

Reyna sighed and grabbed the bedroll attached to her backpack. She unfolded it and placed it into a corner of the tent. Reyna laid down on it and whistled. She waited a few moments, but her dogs did not come. Reyna tried whistling one more time, but when nothing happened, she sighed deeply.

There was no way that she could sleep now. Her dogs weren't there to watch over her, and she was unfamiliar with them not being at her side. A sad sigh left Reyna, and she stared up at the tent. Reyna heard the sounds of conversation outside of the tent, but it was too quiet for her to make out. The praetor tried to relax, knowing she wouldn't get any sleep that night.


	5. The Rebel Leader

As Thalia followed Mago through the streets of Carthage, she had to admit how beautifully chaotic it was. People rushed along the narrow roads, skillfully avoiding bumping into anyone else. A few people held pots of water, and everyone seemed to give them a wide enough berth that there wouldn't be a pot related incident.

Thalia followed directly behind Mago, and the two other men flanked her. One was holding onto the message bag that the Roman they killed had. Mago was running his thumb over a letter and looked rather nervous. The other two wouldn't meet Thalia's eyes when she looked back at them. Was it fear, awe, or them trying to plan a way to kill her?

The suspicion probably wasn't warranted, but she had watched them killed a Roman and then bury him into a shallow grave. She would rather not put her guard down and then take a dagger to the back. Thalia looked around once again. Her eyes focused on all of the stalls where people were selling food.

It took her a moment to fix the hood that was over her head. While the wore a jacket, the rest of the rebels wore cloaks, which probably explained the side eye that everyone was giving her. Mago moved to fall in line with her, and he spoke, “The people here do not like the rebels.”

“They think we are bringing war back to the home,” one of the men behind Thalia said. This was the first time that he spoke, and even though he used Ancient Greek, it was clearly not a first or even second language for him.

“Isn't that kind of what rebels do?” Thalia asked. She glanced at Mago. “You frustrate the Romans enough that they bring more soldiers here, and you try to prove that it is not worth it.”

“You mistake our goal,” Mago said. He stopped walking and looked at Thalia. “This is not about proving that we are not worth it. We want to free our home from the Romans. After the war, they took over and forced us into harsh consequences for what had happened.”

“The Romans continue to increase the price. They continue to make up pay, and if we try to do anything to defend ourselves, they take our men and beat them. They take our women and do whatever they desire. Our children are not spared either,” Mago said. He shook angrily. “It has only been months since the war, and we must set a standard for what we are willing to accept. I am not wiling to accept any of this.”

Mago walked into the thickest part of the crowd. Thalia quickly followed behind, but she noticed that two two other men didn't follow. Thalia's hand drifted towards her pocket. Her mace canister rested on her belt. She could easily flip it out or grab the bow that hung from around her chest. It was just a matter of what she would grab first.

Mago made it towards a small building and stepped inside. Thalia followed behind him and looked around. They were in a rather dark room that had a few lanterns in it. Thalia saw a few benches in the room and nothing else. It actually looked like a place where someone would get murdered at.

“It is not much, but it is a place where we meet,” Mago said. Thalia slowly looked around. She didn't see or hear anyone else in the shadows. “There is always a crowd in front. Make it easy to hide and conceal our movements. No one notices anyone who leaves this room.”

Mago looked around. Then, he walked towards the middle of the room and pulled away a fur rug. He lifted a metal grating. Thalia debated her options. If she just left, she would be wandering Carthage with no one clue of who she could trust or what was going on. If she went down this hole, there was at least a fifty percent chance that she would get murdered. It was her best chance to figure out exactly what was going on though.

Thalia glanced down through the small hole. She didn't see a ladder and saw that it was just a five foot drop. Thalia didn't hesitate. She dropped down the hole and landed in a crouch. It took her only a moment to stand and make room for Mago. He landed next to her a moment later.

“How do you get back up?” Thalia asked. She glanced up at the displaced metal grating. Mago interlocked his fingers and held his hands out. Thalia placed her foot to his palm and was lifted. She caught herself on a handle that rested near the grate. Thalia held herself up with the one hand grabbing onto the handle. Then, she moved the grate back into its original spot.

Thalia jumped down and looked at Mago. The rebel spoke, “We move together.. There are always two of us, as we are a brotherhood.”

“So, you always work in pairs?” Thalia asked. Mago nodded and grabbed a torch from the wall. He started to walk, and Thalia followed behind. She looked around the tunnel that they were in. It seemed to be made of brick. Thalia wasn't sure if they were in a sewer or an underground tunnel that led into a secret base of rebels. She knew which one she was hoping for.

“The strength of the pack is in unity,” Mago said. He started to walk. Thalia kept behind him and close to him, as the torch didn't light much of the tunnel, but it did give her a good view of his sword in case he got any ideas. “That is what we were always taught.”

“I've heard that line before,” Thalia said. Mago glanced back at her and stopped walking. “From the Romans.”

“While the Romans may be our enemy, you can always learn a thing or two from your enemy,” Mago said. He began to walk once again. “Do understand that I hold no love for the Romans. I have watched the horrors that they have committed to people who just live here. Losing a war does not mean that the people become a spoil of war.”

“You won't hear an argument from me,” Thalia said. They walked down the long tunnel, until Mago came to a sudden stop. He knocked on a wall in a rhythmic pattern. After a moment, the wall lowered, and Mago spoke in another language. He then motioned for Thalia to step forward.

Thalia slowly stepped into the room. She frowned as she saw the maps that covered the wall. There was a table in the middle of the room, and it was littered with drawings and figures. An armored man stood behind the table.

The man's face look recently shaved, and some of his dark hair peeked out from underneath his helmet. He wore a cloak that covered his armor, but Thalia was sure that he wore the same type of armor as Mago.

“Sir,” Mago greeted. He bowed his head. “This is a Hunter of Artemis. She has come to help us.”

“I fear it may be too late,” the man said softly. He looked up at Thalia and seemed to study her. “Apologies. I have forgotten my manners. My name is Hannibal Barca. I am the leaders of the rebels. Has your trip been long? Would you like some food?”

“I'm fine,” Thalia said. She studied the two men in front of him. Hannibal looked as if he had the weight of the world in his hands. His shoulders were drooped, and there was a frown on his face. He stared at the ground before looking up at Thalia. “I was sent here without much of a briefing, but I was told to help however I could.”

“There isn't much to help with,” Hannibal said. He stared at the table. “I failed my country when Rome defeated us. I was on the verge of greatness, but then, the beast struck.”

“What beast?” Thalia asked. Mago shivered and placed a hand to his heart, as if he could shield himself from evil.

“It was almost as large as my war elephants,” Hannibal said. “But, it moved impossibly fast. I thought something was following us, when we first crossed into Roman lands. As we made it closer and closer to Rome, the more I saw the beast. It was like a wolf, but it was too large.”

“Sir, the beast is just a Roman legend. That is why it has not followed you past their boundary line,” Mago said. Hannibal smiled, but it wasn't a happy one.

“I think the beast did follow, and it has been waiting,” Hannibal said. Thalia looked down. She knew a couple of wolves that were larger than normal ones, two to be exact: the beast Lycaon and the wolf goddess Lupa.

If Thalia had to put money on it, she would say that Lupa was the beast hunting Hannibal. He couldn't be harmed by the goddess. That didn't mean Lupa wasn't gathering information and maneuvering her troops.

“Sir, I would die before I let that beast harm you,” Mago said. Hannibal held up a hand. “Sir?”

“We shall not speak of those matters when we have a guest,” Hannibal said. He looked at Thalia. “Are the stories true? We have heard that the Hunters of Artemis are a group of women from Greece who cannot fight for their homeland or join the ranks of their armies. Instead, they band together and are akin to a group of mercenaries.”

“I believe that you are not just some woman who has ran away from home,” Hannibal continued. “You are the child of a god. I have suspected that they were real for a long time, but I had my doubts. Why would my gods not answer me? Do they only listen to brutes who dedicate each pillage and slaughter to them?”

“Sir,” Mago muttered. Hannibal took a deep breath and nodded. Thalia studied the two men. Should she tell them that the world of gods and monsters was very much real? Would it be wise to show them a taste of the true world, or should she just let them live in ignorance?

“Let's just say there is a lot more to this world than you think,” Thalia said. Hannibal nodded and looked down. “I am here to help though. What can I do?”

“We are setting an ambush,” Hannibal said. He looked up at Thalia. “A general, the general, that defeated me and won the war for Rome is on his way here. He thinks our priests are blessing us for war, but we are going to draw him in.”

“What are you going to do when you have this general?” Thalia asked. She could guess by the look in Hannibal's eyes. Hannibal looked down and studied the parchments in front of him.

“I am going to get the information that I need,” Hannibal answered. “I am going to find a way to free us from Roman oppression, before I die.”

“Sir, they will not hurt you,” Mago said. “Everyone in the rebellion is willing to die for you, and we will not let them take you without a fight.”

“There is nothing you can do,” Hannibal said. He turned around and faced the wall. “I feel as if I have lived this week before, and I think it is a warning. I know how this week ends. When the last day hits, I will die.”

Mago looked down and closed his eyes. He spoke, “We will find the information and find a way to get this beast away from you.”

“You have my full help,” Thalia said. She smirked. “I may not look like much, but you are right. I am one of the most powerful children of the gods that you will ever meet. We will work together, and you will survive.”

“You would really stand by my side?” Hannibal asked. Thalia nodded. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but just from speaking to Hannibal, Thalia knew that he was a honest man. It was a feeling in her gut, and she had learned long ago to trust my gut. “Then, I shall share everything that I know, on the way to the temple.”

“The temple where the ambush will be?” Thalia asked.

“Yes,” Hannibal answered. He looked back at her. “We have a stop to make first though. There are thieves in my city, and I believe they have brought something of great importance. When Scipio hears about it, he will want it.

“What is this item?” Thalia asked. She stared at Hannibal, but she knew the answer. Mago was staring at the ground and seemed lost in thought.

“I have heard many Roman myths and stories,” Hannibal said. He turned back towards her and smiled. “They hold words on a parchment to the highest authority. Words from a crazy lady fuel their fire, and those words will save my home. They call her Sibyl, and one of her books will save my world.”

“Hunter, we are going to learn the location of this book and then capture the great general Scipio. When he tells me what I want to know, we will find the book. Then, we will exchange it for the freedom of my people,” Hannibal said.

“It sounds like a plan,” Thalia said. She forced herself to meet Hannibal's eyes and smile. Thalia actually felt bad. If they did find the Sibylline book, Thalia wouldn't allow it to be used in an exchange. She would take the book for herself, find the barrier to escape this place, return the book to Artemis, and hopefully be back by lunch.


	6. Auribus Teneo Lupum

“The people of Carthage do not like us, but they will not do anything to harm us,” Scipio said. Reyna nodded and glanced at him. They were both riding horses. As they made their way towards Carthage, they moved in a straight line. Now that they were at Carthage, Reyna and Scipio were riding right next to each other.

Reyna had seen how the Romans looked at her. Some seemed suspicious of her. She couldn't tell if it was because she was only a teenager or because she was a female. It was probably both. As they saw her cape and since Scipio was by her side, no one said anything. They just glared at her and gave her side looks, just like upset campers at Camp Jupiter.

Reyna rubbed her eyes. She had probably gotten about five minutes of sleep, but it didn't do much to help her. She was still exhausted, annoyed, and confused. Reyna hoped to get more information from Scipio, but he had been silent the entire ride over. It almost felt like he was letting her stew and think about what had happened. Why would he do that though?

“Do they follow the terms of your treaty?” Reyna asked. She gripped the reigns of her horse. It was a gray horse but seemed to like her well enough. Scipio glanced at her and then studied her for a few moments.

“The regular people and the government do, but the rebels do not,” Scipio said. “They are just a few voices, but they drown out the majority. If there is even one Roman injured because of these rebels, the Senate will want us to come down on them hard. They will want me to bring about the hand of justice.”

“If a Roman was injured, what would happen to the people of Carthage?” Reyna asked. She looked around. Most of the Carthaginians rushed away from the line of Romans. They all seemed scared of being in the same area as the Romans, and Reyna couldn't blame them. She knew all the stories of what a conqueror did when they made it to the place they conquered, and the Romans made those stories seem like the ones you told little kids before bed.

“For each drop of blood that is spilled from one of my Romans, I will take a head,” Scipio said. Reyna's eyes widened, and she quickly looked down at her horse. She knew that the Romans were harsh in their actions when they wanted to be, but that didn't make her any more comfortable. Reyna was willing to go to the extreme when she needed to, but they didn't have to do anything to the citizens of Carthage.

“Wouldn't the people run you out for that?” Reyna slowly asked. “If you hurt innocent people, wouldn't they try to run you out? Wouldn't it give more weight to the rebels' cause?”

“One of our orators would speak to the people and turn this against the rebels. After all, it was the people of Carthage who wanted this war. It was the people of Carthage who fought the great people of Rome. They sought out this war and lost. We showed them mercy by not killing all of them,” Scipio said. “The common folk will not want to disrespect our mercy. That is why they will never side with the rebels.”

“Do you think that the rebels will be turned in by their neighbors?” Reyna asked. Scipio didn't answer. Reyna's frowned deepened. She sighed and looked down at the ground. Romans greatly mistrusted strangers, but since Reyna and Scipio were both Romans, shouldn't there be a little trust between them?

Scipio brought his horse to a sudden stop, and Reyna did as well. She glanced up at the building in front of them. It had a few Roman flags outside of it, and two Romans guarded the front. Scipio dismounted his horse and motioned for Reyna to follow. As they made it closer to the entrance, the Roman guards saluted.

The two stepped into the building. The room was covered in hand drawn maps and writing. A few Romans rushed around and added maps or more notes. Scipio spoke, “They document all movements of the rebels. We have been trying to find their base for weeks now, along with the identities of all of the rebels. I do not want anyone innocent to be caught in the crossfire.”

Reyna nodded and followed Scipio further into the building. They made it to a small room that looked like it was an office. Scipio sat down at desk and took off his helmet. He ran his hands down his face. Reyna slowly took off her own helmet and studied Scipio. He motioned to a chair across from him. Reyna sat down and sighed tiredly.

“You said that you are from Camp Jupiter,” Scipio began. Reyna looked at him and nodded. “And, you are a praetor. What do you do?”

“I lead Camp Jupiter with my fellow praetor, who is also a son of Mars. With help from the Senate, we make decisions and lead the army when necessary,” Reyna said. “It's more like a consul for you. We don't have as many positions as the republic did. Praetors have most of those duties wrapped up into one, and we don't even get that much pay.”

A smile came to Scipio's face. It was quickly lost, and he spoke, “Is Camp Jupiter part of Rome?”

“Not exactly,” Reyna answered. She looked down. “You know that Lupa sent me, but I live in a time that is over two thousand years from when you lived. Rome fell hundreds of years after you, well, died.”

“It fell,” Scipio repeated. He looked down at the ground and seemed to think about it. A small smile came to his face, followed by a laugh. Reyna stared at him. Scipio laid his head back. “I knew Rome would fall. Tell me, did it go out with a whimper or a bang?”

“A whimper,” Reyna said softly. “It was corrupt inside and out long before it fell. Rome went from a republic to an empire, and things were going fine for some time. Then, it grew corrupt, using your praetorian guards as a way to control the emperor.”

Scipio laughed again. He spoke, “The guards that my family made are going to be a reason why Rome falls?”

Reyna nodded. She couldn't tell if she was watching the man have a mental breakdown or if he was just unable to process what she was saying. Scipio buried his face in his hands and didn't say a word. After a minute of silence, his shoulders started to shake, but she couldn't tell if he was crying or laughing.

Reyna looked down. This was just cruel. She had gone back to the past and shattered the world of someone who wouldn't live to see the fall of the country he loved so much. Reyna spoke, “I'm sorry.”

After a few moments, Scipio looked up at her. He wiped his eyes and spoke, “Apologies aren't very Roman.”

A small smile came to Reyna's face. She spoke, “Of course. I was just worried that I had shattered your world.”

“No. You haven't,” Scipio said. “It answers a few questions that I have, but I have more. Do the gods talk to you more now? They do not visit us at all. In fact, the only one I have ever spoken to is Lupa. She took a special interest in me. Do you know why?”

“She talks highly of you,” Reyna said. Scipio smiled. “I think she admires you.”

“Admires me,” Scipio repeated. His eyes grew distance. “What of the other gods? Do they speak to you?”

“Not me personally,” Reyna said. “We see Lupa around Camp Jupiter sometimes, and she trains everyone at the Wolf House before they join the legion. They have to earn their place. After that, gods don't really visit some of us. Others are a little more special.”

“My fellow praetor's parentage was revealed by his father in front of the entire camp. Then, he was sent on a quest,” Reyna explained. “I have a friend, Jason, who fought with the Olympians to take down the giants. It's a long story.”

“Gods do not talk to us at all,” Scipio said. “Other than Lupa. She does visit us and sees us. The rest do not. It seems they may have softened in time.”

“Something like that,” Reyna muttered She sighed and rubbed her forehead. It was true that the Roman gods had softened in time, but she blamed the Greeks giving them a split personality. The Greeks just had to have a resurgence and continued to worship the gods instead of letting them go full Roman.

“Do you know of the afterlife?” Scipio asked quietly. Reyna lowered her hand and glanced at him. “I have always wondered what happens after we die. Do warriors like me who have caused the deaths of more men than they can count go to a place of heroes, or do they go to the darkest depths? Can someone like me even go for rebirth? Is there even a chance to start all over again and make amends.”

“You have done the things that you needed to do,” Reyna began. She looked him in the eyes. “Protecting Rome and the people of Rome is what will get you to Elysium, and if you want to go for the best kind of afterlife, rebirth is how you get there.”

“Even a monster like me can get there,” Scipio muttered. “And, I can use my knowledge to correct my mistakes.”

“You drink from the River Lethe. It takes away your memory,” Reyna said. Scipio slowly looked at her. “I guess it is a test of your soul, to see if you are truly a good person.”

“Has anyone ever not drank from the River Lethe and gone for rebirth. Do the gods allow it?” Scipio asked.

“No,” Reyna said. She shrugged. “I think it would throw the balance of everything out of order. It would be seen as a sign of favoritism for whoever the demigod was a child of.”

Scipio nodded. He looked down at his desk. Reyna leaned back in her chair, and a tired sigh escaped her. She still had a million questions about everything that was going on. Her head ached, and she was completely exhausted.

What time was it in New Rome? Did time pass the same there as it did here? Did Frank know that Reyna was missing and bought the lie? Was all of this going to work out, or was she doomed to be stuck in this weird time loop?

“You said that I died,” Scipio said suddenly. Reyna glanced up at him. “I have been thinking about this ever since I learned that I was trapped in this hell. I think I did die, and the part of me that is talking to you is a piece of my soul. Until this place is destroyed, my soul cannot rest. I think the same goes for everyone else here. Help me free my soul.”

“I'll do my best,” Reyna promised. Scipio took a deep breath and stood. It seemed like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and a smile came to his face.

“Thank you, Reyna. To know that freedom awaits me is comforting,” Scipio said. He grabbed his helmet and put it on. “Now, we must go on foot to the temple. After we speak to the priest, we will walk into an ambush. With a little luck, we will not die.”


	7. Eyes of Carthage

They walked through the streets of Carthage in silence. Hannibal and Mago flanked Thalia's side, as if they were worried she would be attacked. They all wore hoods over their heads and moved through the crowd of people, almost blending in with them.

The walk was not a peaceful one. Hannibal looked like he was lost in thought, and Mago seemed nervous. If his twitchy actions were any indication, he thought an attack was imminent. Thalia wasn't too sure. The crowd moved in a rhythmic pattern. If someone was rushing through, they would disrupt the pattern and be noticed.

The silence continued until they made it towards a quieter part of town. There wasn't as many people, and the few on the streets were standing around, as if they were keeping watch. Hannibal seemed to tense up. He spoke quietly, “This is the place where thieves and other unholy creatures go to gather.”

“Sir, the two of us can go,” Mago whispered. “You should not have to disgrace yourself by speaking to these fiends.”

“I would never ask my men to do something that I would never do myself,” Hannibal said. He looked at them. “Come.”

The three of them walked towards a large building that looked like a warehouse. A young child rushed into the warehouse, past two guards. A man left the warehouse a moment later. Thalia slowly looked around, and she started to notice more faces on the streets. They blended in with the shadows.

Most of them looked underfed and wore nothing more than rags. Thalia frowned, and they made it towards the two guards. While Thalia thought they were going to stop and talk to the guards outside for entry, Hannibal simply shoved through the two.

While they walked, Hannibal had been hunched over, like his entire world was crushing him. Now, he walked mighty and proud, as if he dared the world to come at him. Mago followed behind his leader, and Thalia did as well.

Stepping inside the warehouse almost made Thalia freeze in place. She saw a line of people on her right. They all wore rags and were waiting in front of two guards who seemed to have a large pot of stew. The woman at the front of the line spoke and said a few words. After a moment, one of the guards poured her some stew and motioned for her to leave.

There was people gathered in the corners of the warehouse. Some were sleeping. Others were eating their stew. Mago spoke softly, “They control the city through the poor. The war with Rome tore much from us, and many lost their ways of life or the man that provided for them.”

“The boot of the Romans on our necks does not help either,” Hannibal muttered more to himself than them. Thalia looked around. She could understand now. Carthage was a large place, and many things happened in it. By providing food and shelter in exchange for information of what was happening, one could rule Carthage.

As they made it closer to the middle of the warehouse, the leader became clear. It was a man who wore leopard skin over his chest along with a cape. He also wore what could have been leather armor. His hair was so long that it fell to the side of his face and blended in with his even longer beard.

“Do not say a word. Either of you,” Hannibal ordered. “You two are to act as my bodyguards and nothing more.”

Thalia remained silent. While she didn't like taking orders from men, she also knew how out of her depth she was. These criminals surrounded her on all sides, and one wrong word could start a fight. If there was a fight, innocent people would get hurt. Was this why the criminals surrounded themselves with the poor? Guards wouldn't assault them if so many innocents would get caught in the middle of it.

“As you wish,” Mago whispered. He fell silent and stared at the ground. The three of them walked right towards the leader of the criminals. The man's eyes focused on them. A child darted past them and said something to the leader.

“Gato,” Hannibal greeted. The leader studied Hannibal for a long moment, and a small smile came to his face. His brown eyes were a light color, and his hair could have been blonde, but it was terribly dirty. Gato grinned wider, and Thalia almost cringed as she saw all of his missing or rotted teeth.

“It is the great Hannibal Barca. Savior of Carthage,” Gato said. His accent was something that Thalia had never heard before, and Thalia was pretty sure that he was not speaking English or ancient Greek. Yet, she understood him. “Saving us from the Romans. How did that one work out for you, great general?”

“I know you have information about something that the Romans will want,” Hannibal said. “How much do you want for it.”

“Oh Barca, you are going to have to be much, much more specific than that. I know everything,” Gato said. He spread his arms and grinned. Gato turned his head and looked at Thalia. “Oh, I do not know you. I would love to though.”

“Gato, focus on me,” Hannibal ordered. He straightened, and his voice changed as well. He sounded much more confident than before. Gato lost his smile. “I know that you want something for the information. Name your price with no more games or else.”

“Or else what?” Gato asked. Hannibal moved almost faster than Thalia could follow. Hannibal kicked Gato's lower leg, causing the man to stumble forward. Hannibal slipped behind the criminal, and a second kick to the back of the knee caused Gato to collapse to his knees.

Hannibal grabbed Gato's hair and lifted his head. He slipped a knife underneath his neck and spoke, “Do you think any of your guards will make it over here to save you in time? Will they even try? I am sure many people are just waiting for your mouth to get you killed. Then, they can take your place.”

“Wait,” Gato hissed. He looked up at Hannibal. “I can help you!”

Thalia looked around. The men who she assumed were part of Gato's group were just watching. None of them rushed forward to help. They almost seemed scared. Mago had a hand on his sword handle, but other than that, he didn't move. Was this whole group scared of three people?

“How can you help me?” Hannibal asked. “I think driving my blade through your neck will help many people here, and I have always put the people before myself.”

“I have information. Of a Roman. A new one with Scipio!” Gato cried. Hannibal frowned and relaxed his grip slightly. “It is a woman. No one has ever seen her before, and we know she is not one of his playthings! She rode in with Scipio. All I know is that she has black eyes like a demon.”

Black eyes? Thalia looked at the ground. There was only two people that she knew with black eyes, and they were both children of Bellona. That meant another child of Bellona was with Scipio, and Thalia was not looking forward to facing them..

There was the possibility of working together, but Thalia doubted this Roman would. They would see Thalia as just another rebel, and if they learned she was a Greek, she really would be killed. Hannibal spoke, “What else can you tell me about this woman?”

“Not much,” Gato answered. He almost whimpered as the blade moved closer to his neck. “Wait! I have people watching them. I know you want to capture that Scipio. We can help.”

“I want to know about the woman. She has black eyes. What else?” Hannibal asked softly. It was clear that he was out of patience.

“All I know is that Scipio seems to trust her. She wears the symbol of a wolf on her cape,” Gato said. Wolf. Oh, Thalia also knew a few wolves. Hannibal let go of Gato and shoved him away. He turned towards Thalia and Mago.

“Do you think this female is the beast that I saw?” Hannibal asked quietly. “I know the Romans revere a wolf. Something named Lupa.”

Thalia frowned. She knew that Lupa was a wolf goddess, but did she ever change out of that wolf body? Was she just a wolf at all times, or did she have the ability to become a human? Thalia was going to have to ask Jason when she got back. That didn't help her for now though.

“The mother of Romulus and Remus. That is a goddess, is it not?” Mago asked. Hannibal remained silent. Thalia looked around the warehouse again. This conversation was getting them nowhere.

“If you cannot tell me about the woman, tell me where their book is. I know you have information on the artifact,” Hannibal said. He turned back towards Gato. After a moment, Gato looked down and nodded.

“I have a man, Sciv, that works on the docks. Pirates came in a few days ago. Those pirates found papers that were bound together in a book. The water should have destroyed the papers or soaked them. Instead, it was like a scribe had just created it. That must be what your Romans want.”

“Where is your man Sciv?” Hannibal asked. “Where is the book?”

Gato looked around and moved closer to Hannibal. He spoke softly. “If I tell you this general, you didn't hear it from me. The pirates are staying in the slums, but I don't know which one of them has the book. I do know that they are going to the Romans to sell the book.”

“Where will they meet the Romans at?” Hannibal asked. Gato didn't answer. “You continue to play games like a child. I do not have patience or time for you.”

“Look, I don't know where they will meet, but I do know pirates. They are going to give the Romans this offer and then let them stew,” Gato whispered. “You have time. You just need a Roman to tell you the answer.”

“Keep your people under control,” Hannibal warned. He turned away and motioned for the two of them to walk. Thalia turned and left the warehouse with the other two men. The three of them walked back the way they had come. Hannibal looked like he was deep in thought.

Thalia was lost in thought as well. This place was trapped in time, so could Lupa be here? Could a part of Lupa be here? Or, was it a part of some other monster? Or, maybe just maybe, Thalia would get to face some kind of monster she hadn't run into before and knew nothing about. That sounded like her luck.

Everything was just so confusing. Thalia didn't want to run around and fight pirates, Romans, and gods know what else. A sigh left her, and she continued to walk. Thalia glanced at Hannibal. He had a frown on his face as well. Mago was just silent.

“Can gods die?” Hannibal suddenly asked. Thalia looked at him. He just stared ahead. “I fear the Romans want to take over our entire culture. They will forbid us from worshiping our gods. Without anyone to worship them, do gods die?”

Hannibal finally looked directly at Thalia. After a few moments, Thalia looked away. She didn't have the heart to tell him that the gods could fade, if people stopped believing in them. Something told her the general would not be happy to hear that.

The Romans could very easily destroy the Carthaginian gods. It wouldn't be a quick process either. Forbidding worship of the Carthaginian gods would keep the practice going as a rebellious act for a few decades. As generations passed, the old gods would slowly be forgotten and be replaced with the Roman ones. It would be a slow demise as an entire culture was destroyed, and while Hannibal might not live long enough to see it, his kids would. Thalia could not think of a worse fate.

Hannibal didn't seem to think that he would live long enough to see this fate though. Thalia knew a lot about monsters, and they didn't target mortals for no reason. Was Hannibal a mortal though? It was quite possible that he was a demigod, even if he wasn't a child of the Greek or Roman gods. Maybe, a Carthaginian god met with a mortal and had Hannibal.

It was too complicated for Thalia, so she wasn't going to worry about it. This Roman with black eyes was probably a child of Bellona, which meant Thalia was going to avoid them. The last thing she wanted to fight was some crazy child of Bellona. All she had to do was find a way to figure out where the book was and take it.

“Mago, head to the temple where we will set the ambush for Scipio. I know he will have plenty of information for me, and I want answers, especially about this woman that he is with,” Hannibal said. He looked at Thalia. “Come. You and I will observe the ambush from afar. If we see this mysterious woman, it is our job to capture her and learn everything that we can.”

“You have my blade,” Thalia promised. She stuck her hands into her pocket, and a small smile came to her face. While she didn't want to fight this mysterious woman, she did have a few of those little darts in her pocket that could knock someone out, so hopefully, there wouldn't be any kind of fight at all. If her darts did not work, Thalia was in for a long day.


	8. Magna Generalis

“This is the temple?” Reyna asked softly. She studied the building in front of her. Pillars held the marble building up. There was statues around the building of figures that Reyna didn't recognize. She blinked, and the temple changed for a split moment. It turned into a pile of ash and destroyed marble.

Reyna blinked, and the temple turned back to normal. What had just happened? Scipio looked back at her, and a frown came to his face. He spoke, “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Reyna answered. She glanced down. “Just a lack of sleep.”

Scipio studied her for a moment then nodded. He spoke, “I must go inside alone. It would not look good for a group of Romans to step inside and speak to a priest of Carthage. They may think we are trying to threaten them.”

Reyna saw the three other Romans with her immediately turn away and walk down the steps. They took up a place near a clean shaven man who patrolled the street in front of the temple. When they had first approached, the man saw them and then went to the other side of the temple to share his sermon or ask for money. Reyna hadn't really been paying attention to him.

“Do you have to go to the temple?” Reyna asked quietly. “You already know what the priest is going to tell you. Is it worth going to speak to him again?”

“I may know what is going to happen, but if I change one thing of what I do, what if the next event changes as well?” Scipio said softly. He glanced at her. “We will stay the path, until after the first ambush. Now go.”

Reyna nodded and walked down the steps. She stood next to the other Romans. All three of the Romans were taller than her. They didn't even glance at her. The citizens of Carthage that walked by moved a little faster as they saw the Romans.

Reyna sighed softly and watched the people walk by. They obviously weren't happy about the Romans being there, but none of them would make eye contact with Reyna. The other Romans just stared ahead and didn't seem to be taking in the world around them.

Did none of them care that they were in Carthage? This was one of Rome's greatest enemies, but these Romans acted like it was just another day on the job. Reyna tried to take in the sights of Carthage, while trying to ignore the odd weather. 

Her eyes moved around her surroundings, until she made eye contact with a child. The child wore nothing more than rags, and they looked like they hardly had enough to eat. It wouldn't have been suspicious normally, but as soon as they made eye contact, the child turned and disappeared into the crowd.

That worried Reyna. Normally, kids would just stare at someone they found interesting, especially if they weren't suppose to. Reyna knew that Romans were something the kid should not have been staring at, so they would, until an adult pulled them away. There was no adult though. The kid just ran, like they had been caught.

Reyna was being watched. She felt that in her gut. Was it the ambush party, or was it something else? Reyna pondered the question until she heard footsteps, and the Romans near her turned. She turned as well and looked at Scipio.

“Thank you for your time,” Scipio said to a man that Reyna assumed was the head priest. Scipio turned and walked towards them. He motioned with his head, and they started to walk. The other Romans took up the flank, and Scipio walked right next to Reyna.

“I am being watched,” Reyna said quietly. She glanced at Scipio, but he gave her no acknowledgment. The two of them continued to walk in silence. As they walked, Reyna felt more eyes on her. She went to turn her head, but Scipio cleared his throat.

“Do not act like you know,” Scipio whispered. Reyna looked at him. “We cannot have them breaking off from their plan. I think your presence is already causing them to have second thoughts.”

“What are we going to do about it?” Reyna asked softly.

“How good of a fighter are you?” Scipio questioned. “Do not overestimate your capabilities.”

“I'm a great fighter. I bet that I can rival the skills of any of your men if not beat them outright,” Reyna answered truthfully. Scipio nodded.

“I normally send two of my men to stop those who are waiting to drag me underground, but I think I can send all three. The two of us will walk together into the ambush,” Scipio said. Reyna frowned. “If you think you can handle it.”

Instead of offering an answer, Reyna nodded and rested her hand on her sword. Scipio smiled slightly, and the two continued to walk. After a few minutes, Scipio turned towards the other Romans and spoke, “Leave us and go to your positions.”

Without another word, the Romans split off from Reyna and Scipio. The two of them walked in silence, and they left civilians behind. There was nothing around them now. The streets were quiet. A perfect place for a trap.

“They are brutes,” Scipio whispered softly. “They will rush and overwhelm us with force. Be prepared. Kill if you must.”

“Understood,” Reyna whispered. She would not harm any of their attackers unless she absolutely had to. Reyna heard footsteps behind her, and she unsheathed her sword. She blocked a man who had brought his sword down. She disarmed him and followed it up with slamming the hilt of her sword into his head.

Reyna glanced behind her. Scipio had already dispatched of three attackers, and he stabbed his sword into a fourth with inhuman speed. How had he been captured in the first place? Reyna focused ahead. Two men rushed her.

Reyna picked up a fallen sword and motioned for the two men to attack. She blocked both of their attacks and shoved them backwards. Reyna ducked under the attack of one and stabbed them in the thigh. Then, she crossed swords with another.

Her attacker almost disarmed her, and she backed away. The two of them traded blows, until the man started to dodge or roll past her attacks. He seemed to have a Greek fighting style, but it wasn't as refined. The two of them fought back and forth, but even with Reyna's two swords, she couldn't get an advantage.

Out of the corner of her eye, Reyna saw Scipio watching them. The Roman walked towards the other two unconscious men and slit their throats. The attacker hesitated for a split second, and Reyna slashed upwards with her sword. He hastily blocked it, and Reyna slammed the hilt of her other sword into his temple. He collapsed.

“Not bad,” Scipio commented. Reyna turned to look at him. She sheathed her sword and discarded the other. Fifteen men laid in the alley. All of them were dead, except for one. “I will carry him.”

“How?” Reyna asked. Scipio picked up the remaining man without any effort. Reyna just stared. Scipio had taken out most of these men without breaking a sweat. How did they manage to ambush him the first time? Had all of them just jumped him at once?

“I'm not quite sure,” Scipio answered softly. He looked at Reyna, and there was a frown on his face. “There was something different about that day compared to now and the second time.”

“Do you know what it was?” Reyna asked. “Or who?”

“No,” Scipio answered. He looked around. “We must go. The other Romans are handling those who were waiting to take me to their base. We must work on questioning this man.”

“Understood,” Reyna said. She looked back at the carnage of the dead men. Even as a daughter of Bellona, this seemed impossible. Scipio did it without breaking a sweat. He was truly a skilled son of Mars, but was there more to him. A frown came to Reyna's face, but she turned and followed behind the Roman general.


	9. An Unexpected Meeting

“It was like nothing I have ever seen before,” a man said quietly. His skin was so pale that it might as well have been bone, and there didn't seem to be an inch of fat on him. There was an odd smell to him that, along with the red bumps up and down his arms, had driven Hannibal and his men to the other side of the room. Thalia had followed their example. “The two fought like demons.”

“What do you mean like demons?” Hannibal asked. Thalia crossed her arms and glanced to her right. Hannibal looked lost in a sea of pit and despair. When Hannibal had seen the three Romans break away from Scipio and the mysterious woman, he decided to follow them. Thalia tried to protest that they should stay focused on the two Romans that were actually important, but Hannibal figured his rebels could handle them.

It turns out they couldn't. The rebels learned of the failed ambush when the man appeared outside of their base claiming to have information. It seemed like Gato wasn't the one who used the poor as a way to gain information.

“That general moved with the speed of an animal, tearing through three of them before they could draw their blades,” the man recalled. “The other Roman moved with grace, wasting no movement and knocking them out with ease. The kills were left for the general, like an offering.”

“I should have known Scipio wouldn't be captured so easily,” Hannibal muttered. He leaned on the table. “This other Roman, the graceful one, was it a woman?”

“A woman? With the Romans?” the man asked. A grin came to his face, showing off a mouth full of rotten teeth. He then frowned. “They did look a little too small to be like the others. And the voice was softer. Different than how other Romans speak.”

“You mean her accent? Or, did they not speak the same language?” Hannibal asked. The man gave him a blank stare. Hannibal sighed. “Did they understand what the other said?”

“Yes,” the other man answered. “And Mago. Poor Mago. He fought fiercely against this so called woman, but she prevailed. He was taken away by the two.”

“Find me someone to draft a letter to send to Scipio. Now,” Hannibal said. One of them men near them nodded and hurried away. Thalia stared ahead with a frown. She still couldn't believe that Hannibal had pulled her away

It made no sense to Thalia. She would have the advantage over the Romans, even this mysterious woman. No one knew about Thalia, and she doubted they had ever trained for her fighting style or all the tricks that she had up her sleeve. Hannibal looked like he wanted to keep her hidden away until the last moment, or he thought that her being a woman meant she couldn't protect herself.

Thalia didn't really care. She just wanted to get closer to finding the book, but that wouldn't happen with Hannibal treating Thalia like a delicate doll. She looked at him and spoke, “Why send a letter?”

“Scipio does not know that I ordered the attack, and we must keep it that way,” Hannibal said. “If our government learns about this, I will be thrown behind bars. The others will be executed, and Rome will seal their victory. We will frame this as Gato's idea.”

“I doubt Gato has enough brain cells to plan anything like this,” Thalia commented.

“Scipio does not know that,” Hannibal said. He sighed and looked at the table. “We will send a message to Scipio asking for a chance to negotiate for Mago. While Scipio is away, I will send someone into the prison to rescue Mago.”

“You'll send me,” Thalia stated. Hannibal looked up and looked as if he was about to argue. Thalia just glared. “You called upon us for help, but you won't even accept it. I can beat any of the Romans that guard Mago. Just tell me where to go.”

Hannibal was silent for a few moments. The rebels behind him exchanged looks. Thalia knew that Hannibal was in no position to turn away a helping hand. He was desperate for as many bodies as he could get for his rebellion, so he shouldn't have been worried about their gender. Or, was it deeper than that? Did Hannibal fear her because he did not know anything about her?

“You're right,” Hannibal finally said. He studied Thalia. “The Romans are camped outside of Carthage, but they would not bring Mago back there. The dangers of the forest make it too hard to have a prisoner, especially if they are going to torture him. They have been a block of buildings to house themselves. That is where they will take Mago.”

“Sounds simple enough,” Thalia commented. “What kind of security are we looking at?”

“If Scipio is drawn away, he will bring his best fighters, expecting a trap,” Hannibal answered. Thalia nodded. “We do not have anyone on the inside though, which is a problem. Please be safe.”

“I have this handled,” Thalia promised. Hannibal nodded and grabbed a few parchments. It looked like a map of Carthage. Thalia moved in closer, and the two of them made their plan.

* * *

Thalia was rather unimpressed by the Romans. There was a few of them patrolling around the cluster of buildings that they had been given, but none of them noticed Thalia as she easily slipped by. It was almost sad really. None of them even looked around.

Upon looking at the five different buildings that the Roman had been given, Thalia knew which one she was looking for. It had three Romans standing outside the main entrance. Oh, and there was screaming coming from inside.

If Thalia could say one thing about the Romans, it was that they moved quick. They were already torturing Mago, and while he seemed to be a tough enough guy, the Romans were pretty cruel. There was no telling how long he would last. Thalia had been laying on the building for a hour now, remembering patrol routes and waiting to see if Scipio would take the bait.

The three Romans at the door didn't move. The ones around the buildings didn't turn to look behind them. Only three guards stood in between Thalia and getting inside the building. Thalia saw the three guards step to the side, and two more Romans stepped out of the building. One was holding onto a lantern with a bright, burning flame.

Thalia moved closer and focused on the two. Both wore full sets of Roman armor. One of them was a man, and he had his helmet tucked under his arm. From the many warnings and descriptions that Hannibal had given, that man was Scipio. Who was next to him then?

Something about the way the person stood seemed familiar. They were shorter than Scipio, and they wore a black cloak with a wolf's head on it. This must be the famous woman that everyone was worried about, who was also probably a child of Bellona.

Scipio said something to the woman. Then, he turned and walked away. The woman stepped back into the building. A frown came to Thalia's face. As much as she wanted to avoid fighting the woman, there was no avoiding it now. She would just have to be quick and quiet.

Thalia waited for Scipio to leave from her sight. She waited a few more moments and looked around. No opening was showing to her. Thalia focused on the building. It was only one story tall, and there was something that looked like a window. Thalia didn't know if there was actually glass in the window or if it was just open. Could she climb through it?

Thalia carefully climbed down from the building that she was. A glance up at the sky showed that there was pure darkness. There was a speck of moonlight, making it hard to see. Thalia's eyes had gotten adjusted to the darkness, but she still struggled to see too far ahead.

Sticking to the shadows was easy, and the Romans really weren't looking around. Thalia moved towards the building and around the back. There was windows high above, higher than she could reach, without taking a running start.

Thalia backwards away and looked around. When she was sure that no one was looking, she took off running. Thalia jumped and used the air to give her a boost. She caught onto the window and pulled herself up.

The window was really just a hole in the wall that Thalia would barely be able to fit through. She pulled herself up and looking into the room. A few lanterns hung on the walls, and one hung in the middle of the room giving everything a sinister glow.

There was some kind of hook on the ceiling, and rope was tied to the hook. Mago's hands were above his head, and he was held up by the rope. His back was covered in bruises and marks. Both of his legs looked like they had been broken. Thankfully, he looked like he was unconscious.

A frown came to Thalia's face. Two Romans stood in the room. One had to be the torturer, since he had blood on his hands and clothing. He also wore no armor. The other Roman, the mysterious woman, stared out the other window. Scared to see the handiwork perhaps?

Thalia carefully pulled herself up into the window. She barely squeezed through but carefully landed on the ground. The woman tensed and started to turn. Thalia fired off two arrows without hesitation. She was no child of Apollo, but she had been practicing using a bow and arrow ever since she joined the Hunt.

One arrow hit the torturer in the back of his leg, and he collapsed. The woman dodged past the second arrow and turned completely towards Thalia. She moved with the speed of a demigod. Yeah. Thalia was about to fight a child of Bellona.

Thalia notched another arrow and debated what to do. The guards outside would hear the commotion soon, especially since the torturer was crying out because he couldn't stand an arrow in the back of his knee. Thalia moved and kicked the man in his temple. He collapsed. Then, she focused on the woman.

The woman calmly unsheathed her sword. She didn't have a shield though. Thalia fired another arrow, and the woman deflected it with her sword. A scowl came to Thalia's face. Then, she grabbed her mace canister and flipped it into her spear. The woman hesitated.

“Scared?” Thalia asked. If a simple spear was going to scare this woman, Thalia had something that would send her running. She hit the silver bracelet around her wrist, and it expanded into a shield that held an image of Medusa's head on it. The woman start to lower her sword, but she didn't run away in terror like Thalia expected.

It seemed like this woman was braver than most. Just the sight of Thalia's shield had sent fellow demigods and monsters running, but this woman didn't move an inch. She might have been frozen in terror though. The last thing that Thalia expected was for the woman to completely lower her sword.

“Thalia?” the woman asked. It was Thalia's turn to lower her weapon. She knew that voice. The woman slowly grabbed her helmet and pulled it off. The light from the lantern played off of Reyna's face as she stared at Thalia in shock.

“Reyna?” Thalia asked. She stared at the Roman in front of her. Was this some kind of trick? “What in Zeus's name are you doing here?”


	10. Fideo Defensor

“Thalia?” Reyna asked. She stared at the hooded figure in front of her. There was no mistaking the demigod in front of her. The mace canister that turned into a spear had made Reyna suspicious, and Medusa's head on the shield confirmed it. The figure lowered their bow and arrow.

What was Thalia Grace doing in Carthage? How did she even find her way to the little weird barrier that kept the city hidden? Was she also looking for the book? Were Romans running outside, or was that thumping sound Reyna's heart trying to beat out of her chest?

Reyna pulled her helmet off of her head and stared at Thalia. What was going on? Had Lupa also called for Thalia? Had so much time passed outside of this place that they had to send a rescue squad? Although, Lupa did say that the Greeks would know as well? If the Greeks knew, why would the lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis be there and not Annabeth or Percy?

Reyna could not handle Thalia. When she was around the lieutenant, it felt like someone had poured sand down her throat, and she couldn't form words. What if she said something dumb or embarrassing? What if Thalia wouldn't want to be near her?

All that Reyna needed was to get away from Thalia. Then, she could calm down and collect her thoughts. Was this all actually a dream? Did Reyna actually fall asleep in the tent, or was this the Mist. Reyna tried to swallow down the lump in her throat, and she gripped her sword tightly.

“Reyna?” Thalia asked. It was hard to see her face, but her voice gave away her shock. “What in Zeus' name are you doing here?”

Lupa's words ran through Reyna's mind. She was not suppose to tell anyone the truth of why she was there, until the Sibylline book was with Lupa. Reyna tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn't move. Her mind felt like it was stuck in place.

This really didn't look good. Thalia obviously didn't stumble into the building. She was here for some reason. It couldn't look good that Reyna was just standing there and not doing anything as a man was tortured. Speaking of torture, the man that had been doing the torture was unconscious, but the three Romans outside hadn't come to check on the commotion. They were really bad at their job.

It occurred to Reyna that she was just staring at Thalia. After a moment, she put her helmet on and tried to think of what to say. Nothing came to mind. Thalia pulled back her hood and studied Reyna. As always, Thalia's face was absolutely beautiful. Her electric blue eyes were completely mesmerizing.

“My mother sent me,” Reyna said after a few moments. She knew that Lupa's name had to be kept out of it. Considering Bellona's temple was the last place Reyna had been at Camp Jupiter, it was a story that would check out.

“Artemis sent me,” Thalia said. She looked at the tied up man in the middle of the room. Reyna did not look at him. “I see you made friends with the Romans.”

Reyna remained silent. She sheathed her sword. The two of them needed to leave. What was Reyna going to tell Scipio though? He wouldn't like that Reyna had just disappeared. Could she claim that the rebels took her?

“Sorry,” Thalia said after a moment. Reyna focused on Thalia and didn't trust herself to stay anything. “I'm suppose to rescue this guy here. He's a rebel.”

“You're helping rebels?” Reyna slowly asked. It was the only thing she could say without stuttering or trailing off. It didn't really make sense that Thalia would go to the rebels and not to the Romans. If the rebels found Thalia first though, she probably had to work with them for self preservation.

“You're helping a Roman who is torturing people,” Thalia said. She turned her spear back into a mace canister, and she put her shield away. “They're not threatening you, are they?”

Reyna shook her head. She walked towards the window and glanced out it. The three Romans were gone. Where did they go? A man appeared at the window, and Reyna's heart almost jumped out of her chest. She stared at the man. He wore a black cloak and had something dark on their face, like charcoal, to hide their features.

Sharp pain tore through Reyna's hip. She gasped and looked down at the arrow that was sticking out of her hip, right above where her femur was. Reyna stumbled and felt the stinging pain of poison. She heard Thalia yell a war cry.

Reyna tried to unsheathe her sword, but she felt someone slam her into the wall. Part of the arrow snapped, and it went deeper into her hip. She cried out and slammed her elbow backwards. Her attacker caught her arm and trapped it behind her back. They slammed her face first into the wall.

Reyna's helmet saved her face from any serious damage, but she was still disoriented. The helmet was torn off of her head. Reyna stumbled backwards and swung her sword wildly. The helmet slammed into her temple, and she stumbled backwards.

“Scum,” a man hissed. He swung the helmet like a club. Reyna ducked out of the way and heard another arrow fly past her ear. It hit the man in his throat. Reyna felt her leg give out, and she collapsed to her knees. Both hands pressed against her thigh.

The poison was spreading through her veins, and she needed to handle it. Reyna heard noises all around her, but it was blocked out by the wave of noises in her ears. She heard a cry of pain: Thalia's cry of pain. Reyna quickly stood and turned. A shield slammed directly into her temple, and the world went dark.

* * *

Reyna's eyes drifted open, and she stared at the ground in front of her. Her head ached, and blood was trickling down her face and dripping onto the ground. Reyna rolled onto her back and looked around the room. There was two dead bodies next to her. Both were men she had never seen before.

“Calm down,” Thalia said. She appeared over Reyna. “The bastards got away, but I need to take care of you.”

Reyna hissed in pain as two hands gently grabbed the piece of the arrow that was buried in her thigh. Thalia examined her. There was blood on Thalia's face. Reyna slowly spoke, “It's poisoned.”

“I'm going to have to remove the arrow and clean the wound,” Thalia said. Two hands grabbed Reyna's. All Reyna could do was stare at the ceiling. “I'm going to have to take your pants off.”

Wait. Did Thalia just say she was going to get Reyna out of her pants? Reyna blinked a few times. Was she dreaming? Thalia spoke, “You need to stay with me, Reyna.”

“I'm here,” Reyna wheezed. She groaned as Thalia unhooked her belt. Reyna tried to hide her blush and was thankful that it was hard to see in the building. This was how a lot of Reyna's recent dreams had started, even thought the dreams didn't get too far.

“You're burning up,” Thalia said. She placed one hand to Reyna's forehead and frowned. Thalia moved both of her hands to Reyna's side and curse. “I'm gong to take your pants off now.”

“Please do,” Reyna groaned. She hissed in pain as the fabric of her pants ran across her open wound. She placed both hands to her face and tried to stop her whimper of pain. Thalia whispered under her breath and removed the arrow. Reyna hissed in pain.

“You're doing good,” Thalia said. She poured something on Reyna's wounds. Reyna hissed and felt the wound starting to close, but she knew the poison would be a problem. Thalia poured a liquid down her throat, and Reyna almost gagged. “It tastes disgusting, but it will help with the poison.”

Thalia carefully bandaged the wound and helped Reyna pull her pants back up. She buckled Reyna's belt back up and offered a hand. Reyna took it, and Thalia suddenly picked Reyna up on her shoulder. The praetor slowly spoke, “What happened?”

“We have to get out of here first,” Thalia said. Reyna's only response was another groan. She glanced around the building. It seemed like the rebel they had captured was gone. “Do you have a concussion?”

“I'm fine,” Reyna muttered, but she didn't feel fine. Even with the liquid, which she assumed was nectar, that had been poured on her hip, Reyna was still in pain. Her head ached, as did her hip. “I can walk on my own.”

“You're pretty heavy,” Thalia commented. “Let's get you away from these buildings before I put you down.”

Reyna didn't say a word. She just examined her surroundings as she walked. The three Romans that had been assigned to guard the entrance were dead, and as they made it away from the cluster of buildings, Reyna found more dead Romans.

“The people that attacked us were not rebels,” Thalia commented. Reyna closed her eyes. Scipio would blame the rebels for this attack. He would take it out on the people of Carthage. She would have to find him and tell him what had happened, after she learned what she could from Thalia.

“The book?” Reyna asked. She wanted to form more words, but it was hard to swallow back not only her pain but also her fear of talking to Thalia. Why was it so hard to talk to Thalia? Why couldn't she form full sentences? “Or the rebel?”

“Which one do they want?” Thalia asked. Reyna managed a nod. “Probably both. Mago knows information that Hannibal has on the book.”

“Hannibal Barca?” Reyna questioned. Thalia nodded again. Reyna frowned. Was Thalia working directly with Hannibal Barca: Rome's greatest enemy?

“Save your strength,” Thalia said. “We're going to get to a safe place. Then, you're going to tell me everything that you know. I'll tell you what I know, and we'll figure out a plan from there.”

Reyna nodded, mostly because she didn't trust herself to speak. She stared down at Thalia, and a blush came to her face. Reyna closed her eyes. It wasn't the injuries that were going to kill her. The thing that would kill her would be her attraction to Thalia and the fact that she couldn't even form a full sentence around the lieutenant. Gods help her.


	11. Like Pulling Teeth

Thalia sighed softly as she studied the fire in front of her. They were camped out in a clearing near the entrance of the forest. They had enjoyed a small meal of turkey sandwiches that Thalia had packed away. Neither of them were talking.

Reyna was leaning against a log and staring ahead. The fire caused shadows to dance across the Romans' face, almost giving her a sinister look. Reyna's eyes flickered over to Thalia. There was cuts and bruises near her temple, and it seemed like she was still favoring her hip.

They hadn't talked since making the fire. Thalia was trying to figure out why Reyna was there. Bellona had sent Reyna to Carthage, but why? Reyna hadn't answered that. In fact, she didn't say much at all. She was just staring ahead, seemingly lost in thought.

So far, Thalia had gotten an average of three word sentences out of the girl. Thalia was sure that Reyna had some kind of problem with her, but would that make it difficult to work together? Thalia had no problems with the Roman, other than the fact that Reyna was so hard to read.

“Are you hurting?” Thalia asked. She slowly looked at Reyna. “I can give you some more nectar.”

“No,” Reyna muttered. She glanced at Thalia. “Save it for emergencies.”

“Yeah,” Thalia said. She looked back at the fire and tried to think. A sigh left her. Maybe, Reyna didn't trust her. Romans were naturally weary of others. Reyna just might be a little too cautious for her own good. “Do you have any clue who are attackers were?”

Reyna shook her head, and Thalia could just strangle the praetor. She let out a frustrated sigh and spoke, “So, your mother sent you here to find the Sibylline Book?”

“Sibylline Book,” Reyna repeated. She looked down at the fire and seemed to be lost in thought. Thalia knew she needed to work with Reyna, but all she really wanted at the moment was for the praetor to say two sentences. This was actually worse than visiting the dentist. At least getting teeth pulled produced results and probably involved less pain than this.

“Yeah. I assume you know about it. You asked me if the men were after Mago or the book,” Thalia said.

“I did?” Reyna slowly asked. Her eyebrows came together in confusion. She shifted, and pain came to her face. Thalia frowned. Some of her annoyance disappered.

“You got your clock cleaned, didn't you?” Thalia asked. She moved to Reyna's side and gently grabbed the praetor's face, trying to see the bruises and cuts she had on her temple. Reyna's breath seemed to catch, and Thalia frowned.

“Clock cleaned,” Reyna repeated. The words came out in what sounded like a stutter. Thalia' frown deepened. She knew the praetor didn't like to show how much pain she was in, but if she couldn't even stand fingers being pressed to her face, she should have said something.

“It's an expression,” Thalia muttered. She grabbed more of her nectar. “Drink this. I don't care if you don't think you need it. You're hurt.”

Thalia studied Reyna, but the praetor wouldn't meet her eyes. Thalia ran her thumb across Reyna's wound, and Reyna tensed. Her breath hitched, and her eyes moved to Thalia. She then looked away and almost looked pale.

“Are you in that much pain?” Thalia asked quietly. Reyna shook her head. She pulled away and stumbled to her feet. Thalia grabbed the praetor, but Reyna tried to pull away. She stumbled backwards and fell, bringing Thalia with her.

They both fell to the ground, with Thalia on top of Reyna. The praetor stared up at Thalia and tensed. Thalia stared down at Reyna and spoke, “Will you take the nectar now?”

Reyna didn't answer. In fact, she just stared. Her face almost seemed a little redder, but that was probably just the fire playing off of her face. Thalia pinned Reyna to the ground and spoke, “I'm not leaving until you take more nectar, got it?”

When Thalia still didn't get an answer, she sighed and sat on Reyna's stomach. Thalia crossed her arms and didn't say anything. Reyna stared up at her. The praetor's eyes were wide. Thalia had never seen Reyna like this before. It was kind of cute but also concerning.

“Just calm down,” Thalia said. “And, take some medicine, okay? We have to work through this together.”

Thalia offered the nectar again. Reyna looked like she was fighting with her pride. After a moment, she took the nectar. Thalia stood and offered a hand. Reyna didn't take it. Instead, she just slowly sat up and stared at the fire.

“I would take first watch, but you probably shouldn't sleep, just in case you have a concussion. I'm going to get some sleep. Wake me up in four hours,” Thalia said. Reyna looked at her and nodded. She slowly moved closer to the fire and stared at it.

Thalia slowly grabbed her bedroll and unfurled it. She laid down in it and sighed tiredly. Did Reyna not trust her? Was it because of Jason taking her heart and then breaking it into a thousand little pieces? Was it because Thalia was a Greek demigod?

Thalia sighed tiredly and closed her eyes. She tried to relax. Thalia could at least trust Reyna to not slit her throat while she was sleeping. It took a few minutes, but Thalia slowly drifted to sleep.

* * *

Thalia's watch was uneventful. She didn't even hear any forest animals, and the only sound was the crackling of fire and Reyna's breathing. Speaking of the praetor, it had taken her about a hour to fall asleep, but she looked rather peaceful now. Reyna's cape was tucked around her like a blanket, and her face was buried in Thalia's bedroll.

Now, the challenging part came. Thalia had to wake Reyna up. The last time she had approached a sleeping Reyna ended with Thalia on her back and a knife at her throat. She wasn't too eager to repeat that, so she stood and clapped her hands loudly.

The effect was instantaneous as Reyna's eyes snapped open. She quickly sat up and looked around. Upon seeing Thalia, she slowly laid back down and rubbed her face. Thalia spoke, “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Reyna answered after a few moments. She looked at Thalia. “I'm sorry about earlier.”

“It's fine,” Thalia said with a small smile. “I'm sure it was just the concussion messing with you.”

Reyna nodded and slowly stood. She stretched and paced around for a couple of moments. Thalia tended to the fire. Her eyes stayed focused on the praetor. Reyna looked like she was lost in another world.

Thalia had spent a lot of time thinking about Reyna. They weren't close at all, which was why Thalia suspected that Reyna didn't like her. Reyna didn't know her enough to trust her, and Thalia was going to confront that problem head on.

“Praetor, have a seat,” Thalia said. She patted the ground next to her. After a few moments, Reyna sat down. She studied Thalia. “I know that you and I haven't had a lot of time to bond, but I consider you to be like a friend. I've died for my friends before. I would do the same for you.”

“Annabeth told me,” Reyna said softly. She stared at the fire. “You sacrificed yourself so that Annabeth and another demigod could get to the camp, and your father turned you into a tree. The Golden Fleece brought you back. That was brave of you.”

“I try my best,” Thalia said with a shrug. “Jason's told me plenty of things about you. All good things of course.”

“I guess I'm at a disadvantage,” Reyna said. She glanced up at Thalia. “How did you become a Hunter of Artemis?”

“It was hours before my sixteenth birthday,” Thalia began. She looked down. “There was this prophecy we had where a kid of the Big Three would reach sixteen and make a decision that would destroy or save Olympus. Instead of making that choice, I became a Hunter of Artemis and gave Percy that fun job.”

Reyna remained silent, but for a small moment, Thalia thought she was frowning. Reyna slowly spoke, “You said Lady Diana sent you here. Why?”

“To find the Sibylline Book. I'm assuming your mom did the same,” Thalia said. Reyna studied her for a moment.

“In a way,” Reyna finally answered. “My mother told me that there was something powerful here, and she just shoved me into it. I found Scipio, and he seems to know that this place is trapped in time.”

“Is Scipio a demigod?” Thalia asked. Reyna nodded. “That makes sense. Hannibal doesn't know anything about this place. He thinks that some kind of beast is stalking him.”

“I was warned of a fallen wolf of Rome,” Reyna said. She swallowed painfully, as if the effort of speaking actually hurt. “I don't know what it is.”

“We'll figure it out,” Thalia said. “Why were you torturing Mago?”

“Scipio told me his week happened two times already. This is the third. In the first, he was captured in that ambush and tortured. The torture stopped as he woke up in his tent, at the beginning of the week. He thwarted the ambush the second time, but he go nowhere closer to the book,” Reyna said.

“Hannibal met with some thug named Gato. The guy said that pirates had the book and were going to sell it, after they let the Romans sweat over it,” Thalia said. Reyna glanced at her. “Does the week end before Scipio gets the book?”

“I think the book was destroyed the first time,” Reyna began. She frowned. “Or, someone attempted it, and the book created this.”

“Can a book really create this entire thing though?” Thalia asked.

“I don't know,” Reyna admitted. She rubbed her chin. “This is a little beyond our expertise.”

“Agreed,” Thalia said. “We just need to get the book out of here and back to Artemis.”

Reyna made a small noise that Thalia couldn't identify. The praetor slowly stood and started to walk. She seemed to be testing her injured hip. Thalia spoke, “We should split up. I'll head back to Hannibal and tell him what happened. You tell Scipio, and we can meet back here in a few hours.”

Reyna nodded and didn't say a word. Thalia guessed that Reyna had hit her speaking limit for the month. The praetor fell silent and stared at the ground. Thalia debated saying goodbye. Instead, she packed up her bedroll and supplies. Reyna kicked out the fire.

“Three hours,” Reyna finally muttered. Thalia looked at her and nodded. The praetor disappeared into the forest, moving rather quietly for someone wearing a full set of armor. Thalia waited a few moments and then took off after the praetor. It wasn't that she didn't trust Reyna. It was the fact that Reyna could lead her to the Roman that was in charge of everything. With his help, willing or not, Thalia would get book.


	12. Mala Ultro Adsunt

Basic training from Lupa taught every Roman that the most likely place to be ambushed would be a forest. There was all manners of monster and beast hidden inside, so if one ever had to go into the forest, they should keep an eye and ear out for any threats. Despite that advice, Reyna's heartbeat was the only thing that she heard.

Why was Thalia there? How did Artemis know about the Sibylline Book? It wasn't like Thalia had any reason to be in Carthage. She had nothing to do with the Sibylline Books, and she was going to keep Reyna distracted. Reyna needed to focus on what she was going to tell Scipio. Instead, all she could think about was how Thalia had pinned her to the ground.

Gods, she could have kissed Thalia then and there, and she wanted to. Reyna wished she did. If she could go back in time, she would have kissed Thalia, but she didn't. Reyna needed to focus on the present. She had to stay calm and focused.

Reyna took a deep breath and leaned against a tree. She crouched down by it and buried her face in her hands. Why was she being so stupid? Why couldn't she just focus on finding the Sibylline Book? This was an actual life or death situation, but all Reyna could think was how beautiful Thalia looked by the fire.

Nothing would ever happen between the two of them. Thalia had sworn off love, and she was a loyal lieutenant to Diana. She would never turn her back on her vow. That meant Reyna would never have a shot of being with Thalia. So, why in Jupiter's name was Reyna falling this hard for her?

Reyna slowly stood and continued to walk. She had to calm down and keep her mind off of Thalia. Reyna made it out of the forest and towards Carthage. Her plan was to go back to where the Romans had been stationed. Scipio would be investigating.

Walking alone in Carthage was not a great idea. If a rebel saw her in Roman armor, they would probably attack her. A single Roman wandering the streets of Carthage was just asking for trouble. Reyna quickened her pace.

It took longer than Reyna would have like to make it to the block of buildings, and she was relieved to see that Scipio was standing there. Before she was even close, he turned to look back at her. A relieved look came to his face.

“Reyna, are you hurt?” Scipio asked as he rushed to her side. Reyna shook her head. He gently grabbed her arm. “What happened?”

“We were attacked,” Reyna answered. She looked around. All she could see was five Romans looking around the building. Two were dragging the bodies of the dead men that had attacked her and Thalia. “By those men. I don't think they're rebels though.”

“What makes you think that?” Scipio asked. He inhaled deeply through his nose and rubbed his forehead like he had a headache.

“There was a rebel there too trying to free our captive. They escaped in the chaos,” Reyna said. “I was forced to retreat after being hit by a poisonous arrow.”

“Poisonous arrow. Do you need someone to tend to it?” Scipio asked.

“I handled it,” Reyna answered. She kept her arms behind her back. “What is the situation here?”

“All of the guards are dead. Slaughtered in an ambush. I have five more men left. A letter has been sent to Rome, but for now, we are on our own,” Scipio answered. He looked around. “You tended to your wounds by yourself? No one helped you?”

“No one,” Reyna lied. Scipio nodded and focused ahead. “Any idea where the rebel went?”

“I'm not sure yet,” Scipio said. He sighed angrily. “I will avenge my men, but first, we must find the book.”

“I believe there is someone in the city who may know. I heard a name: Gato. Apparently, he knows where the book is,” Reyna said.

“Gato. I have heard that name. He leads the scum of this city,” Scipio said. He crossed his arms. “Come then. We must find this Gato. My men will stay here and clean up this mess.”

“Are you worried that we will be attacked?” Reyna asked. “The rebels may see that our numbers are weak and decide now is the time to strike.”

“They would not be so openly bold, especially since it seems like they have their own problems to worry about,” Scipio answered. He looked up at the rooftops, and a frown came to his face. Reyna looked up as well. “Are you sure you were not followed?”

“I am,” Reyna began. Thalia wouldn't follow Reyna, would she? No. That was ridiculous. Thalia trusted Reyna. She wouldn't follow her.

“Come. We will speak to this Gato man,” Scipio said. He turned on his heel and stalked away. Reyna frowned and quickly follow behind the Roman. It seemed like Scipio was in a foul mood, and she had to make sure that he didn't do anything reckless or drastic.

“Do you eve know where he is?” Reyna asked. Scipio let out a deep breath. He stopped walking and turned towards Reyna. She studied him. “I know that you're upset about losing your Romans, but we cannot afford to rush in there.”

“You are right,” Scipio said after a few moments. He rubbed his forehead, and it was quiet for a minute. Scipio seemed like he was trying to control his anger. He finally lowered his hand and looked at her. “But, we must get ahead of this. We should speak to Gato about what he knows. I know how to find him.”

Scipio turned and started to walk again. Reyna followed right behind him. The two of them walked in silence. Reyna focused back on trying to calm herself down, because now, she could only focus on Thalia. Gods, why did it have to be Thalia?

Why couldn't it be Annabeth or Percy? She would have even taken Jason. Anyone but Thalia Grace. It took a moment for Reyna to bite back her frustrated sigh. This was too difficult to focus on. Getting information from some criminal in the middle of hostile territory was a lot easier than facing her emotions.

“I know that look,” Scipio commented. Reyna slowly looked at him. “That is the look I had when I first saw my wife. Has a man here caught your attention?”

Reyna felt that her ears were burning. She awkwardly cleared her throat and spoke, “No. Not a man. No one really.”

“A female then?” Scipio asked. Reyna hid her face as a blush came to it. It felt like her cheeks were burning. “Ah. I see. Tell me about her.”

“She's not here. She's back home,” Reyna muttered. She stared at the ground. “We don't even know each other that well. We fought together in a war, for only a few moments. After the war, we've seen each other here and there for a drink.”

“Why not just ask her out? Does she not like females?” Scipio asked. Reyna looked down.

“She's a Hunter of Diana. They swear off love. All kinds of love,” Reyna answered. Scipio gently grabbed her arm. Reyna stopped walking. “Everywhere I turn, I find someone that I like. I am rejected each and every time.”

“I was fourteen when I realized I had a crush on my best friend. It took two years to ask him to go out with me, and then, he disappears in the middle of the night. He came back months later with a new girlfriend,” Reyna muttered. She kicked the ground angrily. “In that time, another demigod came to my camp. He was brave and strong, and I found myself having a crush on him. He had a girlfriend.”

“Now, I cannot get Thalia Grace out of my head,” Reyna said. She crossed her arms. “It's so stupid. I know she can't like me back. She wouldn't break her vow just for me.”

“Don't fret too much,” Scipio said. Reyna slowly looked up at him. “I thought that my love, Aemilia, would never be mine. There were many men courting for her hand. It seemed like her father would give her to more of an politician than a soldier. Thankfully, I won her heart, and she used that golden tongue of her to convince her father to give her to me.”

“She enjoys the Greeks and their way of life. I miss her,” Scipio said softly. He looked down and swallowed painfully. “I am not use to having these feelings. I hardly know how to handle them.”

“I don't either,” Reyna admitted. “Despite all of this going on, I just want to go back to her and kiss her. Admit all my feelings. If I do that, she'll just rip my heart up and throw it away.”

“Are you sure?” Scipio asked. Reyna glanced at him. “I am sure that some Hunters have broken their vows. You never know until you try.”

“It's not that simple,” Reyna muttered. She sighed. “I appreciate you trying to make me feel better. We should focus on finding Gato.”

“You always have to take chances,” Scipio said. “Without chances, what is life?”

Reyna didn't answer. Scipio placed a gentle hand to her shoulder. Then, he lead her away. Reyna was grateful that he didn't ask anymore questions or pry. Could she really just approach Thalia and admit her feelings? That wouldn't work. That was just dumb.

Reyna was stopped from her torturous thoughts as Scipio pulled her towards a building. Three children were outside eating a piece of bread. As the two Romans approached, the kids looked up. It looked like they were about to dart away, but Scipio held up a golden coin. The kids froze in place.

“I'm looking for Gato,” Scipio said. He showed off two more gold coins. “There is one for each of you.”

One of the kids slowly approached and held out a hand. Scipio dropped the coins into his hand, and he darted back towards his friends. The tallest of the three looked around and then made a motion. He took off down the street. Reyna and Scipio quickly followed behind the child.

They darted through the streets until they reached a poorer looking part of town. Reyna was very aware of the eyes upon them. It seemed like all of the poor congregated in this part of Carthage.

“This place was one of wealth,” Scipio said softly. Reyna glanced at him. He almost looked regretful. “There was large homes everywhere, but as the men died, their homes were abandoned. Women and children were forced on the streets. Rome would never have allowed this.”

Reyna remained silent. They made their way to a large building. A few armored men approached them and blocked their path. One of them spoke, “Get out of our territory, Roman.”

“We have come to speak to Gato, and he will speak with us,” Scipio said. He stepped forward. The armored man that had spoken laughed.

“What are you two Romans going to do against us?” the armored man asked. Scipio stared into the man's eyes and didn't say a word. Reyna stared at the other two. She knew they could handle the armored men, but her sword would not hurt them. Imperial gold would go right through the mortals. Scipio's blade was another story.

The other two armored men seemed rather unimpressed by Reyna. She did her best to look intimidating to them. After a few moments, the man who had spoken stumbled backwards. His face was pale. Scipio spoke, “Will you let us pass?”

“Yes,” the man practically whimpered. Scipio walked past the other two armored men. Reyna did as well. She kept her hand near her sword. They made it into the large building. A frown came to Reyna's face as she spotted the man who must have been Gato. He looked like a homeless rat.

“Are you Gato?” Scipio asked. Gato turned to look at them.

“Who is asking?” Gato wondered. Scipio punched him right in the gut. Gato doubled over, and Scipio slammed a knee into his face. Gato crumpled to the ground. Reyna saw guards rushing towards them, and she unsheathed her sword.

“Enough!” Scipio yelled. Everyone in the room froze. Reyna did as well. She slowly looked at Scipio. The Roman looked around. “I have had too many men die today. You are going to tell me what I want to know, or I rip all of your throats out with my teeth.”

“You're outnumbered ten to one, old man,” Gato said. He slowly stood. “What are you and your little girl going to do?”

Reyna turned towards Gato. She drove her foot directly into Gato's stomach. He collapsed wheezing for breath. Reyna spoke, “I think we might kill all of your men and then torture you. I think you'll be a screamer.”

“Or, you can just tell us where the book is,” Scipio hissed. He grabbed Gato by his neck and stared into his eyes. Gato stared up at the Roman. “So. Where. Is. It?”

It only took Gato a minute to break. He whimpered out a few words that Reyna didn't understand. Her gaze was focused on the men that surrounded. Something told her they were not going to escape without a fight.

“You have eyes all over Carthage. You will not tel me that you do not know where the pirates are. I will not hesitate to kill you,” Scipio hissed. “Your men will not save you. I will slaughter all of them.”

“You two cannot fight us,” Gato hissed, but he didn't sound so sure. The other men were hesitant, like they were waiting for orders. Reyna tried to not show her fear. While she knew that she was skilled and Scipio was as well, the odds were a little overwhelming.

“The two of us took out fifteenth rebels, and I am in a much fouler mood now. You have three seconds to tell me what I want, or I will slit your throat,” Scipio hissed.

“You wouldn't harm me,” Gato hissed. Scipio grabbed his sword and placed it to Gato's neck. “Typical Roman. All talk no ac-”

Gato would never be able to finish his sentence as Scipio dragged his blade across Gato's throat. Reyna tensed as she watched Gato's blood pour from his throat. She barely heard the sounds of men rushing towards them.

“Do all of you want to die for this man?” Scipio asked. He stood and held his sword out. Reyna slowly turned and looked at the men. They were surrounded twenty to one, and since her weapon wouldn't hurt any of these men, she would have to take one of their weapons first. “I do not care what happens here. I just want the location of those pirates.”

The guards all seemed to have silent conversations with each other. Reyna glanced back at Scipio. Why did he think these men would just allow a Roman to walk in and kill their leader with no consequences?

“Roman scum like you do not deserve to live,” one of the men said. Reyna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was going to get very messy and bloody, very quickly. When Reyna opened her eyes, she felt Scipio grab her shoulder. He gave her a reassuring nod, and chaos ensued.


	13. Discoveries

Thalia left Reyna to her own devices for five minutes, and the girl was already trying to fight half of the slums. All Thalia could do was stare. She had trailed Reyna and watched her meet with Scipio. When the two took off, she followed behind them.

Thalia wasn't close enough to hear them, but that didn't matter. They were probably talking about Roman things, like killing people and destroying towns. It probably wasn't anything important. Thalia was a little worried when they approached the kids, but upon seeing the gold, she calmed down. Her worry increased when they made it to Gato's warehouse.

Then, the two idiots decided to attack Gato and his men. Thalia stared in horror, and she didn't really think that Scipio would go through with. it. When he did, all of Thalia's worries practically stopped her heart. Thalia hated to reveal that she was following them, but she had to.

After getting over her initial shock, Thalia notched an arrow and raised her bow. She was currently hiding in the shadows, as scaling the building wasn't an option. Before Thalia could aim her arrow, three men were dead. Scipio cut through another four without hesitation.

Reyna had taken a sword from one of the men and a shield. She was holding her ground and fighting off seven different men at once. A small smile came to Thalia's face. That was one thing she loved about children of war. They were great at fighting, but they were even better at changing up their fighting style depending on the situation.

The men were practically tripping over themselves trying to get to the two Romans. Scipio tore through them like an animal. He didn't seem to care if he killed or maimed them. Reyna was fighting more defensively and seemed reluctant to kill the men. If she did take a man out, it was by slamming her shield or the hilt of her sword into their temple.

The fight was over not long after it began. The men stood no chance against the two Romans. Well, it was really Scipio who did most of the work. He had cut through half of them before Reyna had taken out three of them. Then, the two worked together to mop up the rest.

Scipio sheathed his sword and looked around at all of the bodies. He seemed to be admiring his handiwork. Reyna looked around and then placed the back of her hand to her mouth. It seemed like she was disgusted by what had happened. Thalia didn't blame her.

“Why did you do that?” Reyna asked softly. She dropped the sword and shield that she had taken. Both were covered in blood. Reyna gripped the handle of her sword that she had slipped back into its sheathe at some point. “We didn't have to kill them.”

“We were freeing them,” Scipio said. He turned to look at Reyna. “They are nothing more than husks. Their souls have been trapped here for too long. This was a mercy.”

“What about the book?” Reyna asked. She looked around again and then swallowed painfully. “Gato didn't tell us anything useful.”

“He told me everything,” Scipio said. “He told me that he as a man who works on the docks that saw pirates with the books. Anyone working the docks or lurking near them would have seen the pirates. We will take a lesson from Gato and use the poor of this place to find the book.”

Scipio turned and walked towards a few boxes. He glanced inside and spoke, “There is grain here. He kept food from the poor, so he could control them.”

Scipio cut open the box with his sword, and grain spilled out. Reyna spoke, “He was keeping food from those who could not afford it?”

“Yes,” Scipio said softly. He looked around the warehouse, and his eyes focused right on Thalia. She tensed, but there was no way that he could see her. Thalia was perfectly blended in with the shadows, but part of her felt like she had been caught. “Let us head to the docks.”

“Should we tell the poor about the grain?” Reyna asked. She hesitated and seemed uncomfortable. Her eyes shot around. It was an odd look for the praetor. She seemed unsure of herself and maybe a little worried. “They should know.”

“Oh, we will tell them. We will tell the poor that the rich have assigned Gato to hoard this grain and food, so they could not have any. It will create conflict between the two sides, and Carthage leaders will be distracted with their upset plebeians,” Scipio said. He nodded to himself. “Good idea Reyna.”

“It wasn't,” Reyna began. Scipio placed a hand to her shoulder.

“It makes sense that you are a praetor. Now, let us go,” Scipio said. He walked away without letting Reyna respond. Reyna sighed and rubbed her face. She then followed after Scipio. Thalia carefully followed after the two and was careful not to be caught.

As Thalia walked, she focused on the two Romans. Scipio walked with his head held high. He seemed to have all the confidence in the world, and he worried Thalia. The way that he fought was ungodly. She didn't think there was many people who could match him, and she didn't want to fight him either.

In contrast, Reyna was staring at the ground. It looked like she had a thousand thoughts running through her head. Her shoulders were drooped, but she kept one hand on her sword. As they made it closer to the docks, Reyna looked ahead and visibly released the tension from her shoulders. She stayed by Scipio's side.

As they made it to the docks, Thalia was forced to blend in with the crowds. There was a lot more people here, but they gave a wide berth to the Romans. As Thalia looked around, she found a mixture of different people. It seemed like there was a few Romans, some Greeks, Carthaginians, and some others that Thalia couldn't identify.

It seemed like this place was some kind of mixing pot, and hopefully, it was a neutral ground. If Reyna got into another fight, Thalia was going to tie the praetor up in bubble wrap and not let her go anywhere else. The girl was going to give Thalia a heart attack.

The two Romans pushed through the crowd of people and seemed to study each ship that was docked. Thalia studied the ships as well. Considering she was a daughter of Zeus, she didn't like to go near water, let alone know much about the ships that sailed on it.

All the ships were rather large and made of wood. She guessed they were merchant ships, since there wasn't much damage on them. It didn't look like they had been in battle, and all of the ships were well polished. Each flew a different kind of flag.

“What are we looking for?” Reyna asked. Thalia was forced to stand only a few feet from them. Thanks the gods that the docks were so crowded. Scipio stayed close to Reyna and led her away. “Who are we looking for?”

“You speak to the poor. I will see what I can find,” Scipio said. He turned back and met eyes with Thalia. A chill ran down Thalia's spine, and she froze. There was no mistaking it. Scipio knew she was there. How long had he known that? “

“Sounds good,” Reyna said. She started to turn around. Thalia quickly darted behind a crowd of people. “Is something wrong? Did you see anyone?”

“No,” Scipio said. “It must be a figment of my imagination. No one would be enough of a fool to follow us, not even a goddess.”

“Goddess?” Reyna asked. Confusion came to her face, and she looked at Scipio. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing to concern yourself with,” Scipio said. He looked at Reyna. “We should split up. Meet back at our base in a few hours.”

Scipio walked away before Reyna could respond. The praetor sighed and placed both hands to her face. She then quickly lowered her hands and cursed as the blood on her hands was now on her face. Reyna wiped her hands on her armor. She tensed and walked towards the edge of the docks. Reyna sat down and dipped her hands into the water.

Thalia debated walking out there and comforting Reyna, but Reyna would know that she had been followed. Instead, she turned and went where Scipio had gone. It was a dangerous bet, since Scipio knew that he was being followed, but Thalia didn't care. She was going to get to the bottom of this.

Thalia made sure not to be seen this time. She blended in with the crowd. Scipio glanced back every so often, but he didn't seem to see her. He finally kept walking ahead without looking back, and he seemed to relax. Was that why Scipio had parted from Reyna, since he thought Thalia would stay with the daughter of Bellona?

As Scipio relaxed, he walked faster. It seemed like he knew where to go. Thalia followed him until they made it to the other side of the docks. Scipio stopped at a group of men who wore nothing more than rags and were playing some kind of game with rocks and pebbles. It seemed like they were betting money.

Scipio walked straight towards the men and grabbed them by the back of their neck. He picked them up and spoke, “Where is Sciv?”

“Hands off,” one of the other men ordered. They all started to grab their swords or knives. “We know no Sciv.”

“I am running out of patience,” Scipio hissed. He tightened his grip. “Tell me where Sciv is, or I will kill all of you. I will spill so much blood that it will flood the seas.”

“Crazy Roman,” another one snapped. Scipio growled, and Thalia felt a chill run down her spine. The man that Scipio held onto whimpered. “Let go of him.”

“Answer my question,” Scipio said. The man grunted and motioned with his head. Thalia tried to follow where he was motioning, and she saw three young boys feeding a cat. Scipio let go of his captive and walked towards the boys.

Thalia slowly used the crowd to move closer. She kept an eye on Scipio. The Roman walked towards the boys and knelt by them. He spoke, “Are one of you named Sciv?”

“What's it to you?” the older looking boy said. He crossed his arms and tried to stand taller, as if it would intimidate Scipio. The Roman just smiled coldly. He flashed a gold coin. The oldest boy eyed it. “I don't do that stuff no more. Not for you scum.”

“I do not do that stuff either. Especially not to kids. I'm not like these savages,” Scipio said. He lowered the coin. “I just want information on some books that your pirate crew found. What can you tell me about it?”

“Nothing,” the older boy said. He shrugged. “We gave it to that scary bald man.”

“Scary bald man. Who is it?” Scipio questioned. He flashed another gold coin. The older boy took it and then moved in closer. There was a scared look on his face as he glanced around. “That bad?”

“They call him Butcher. He is a butcher. Gato's biggest competition,” the older boy said. He shivered. “He does bad things to kids like me. His group meets where they kill the animals.”

“Thank you,” Scipio said. He stood and turned. Thalia slunk back into the crowd. She slowly backed away and turned. Her plan was to take this newfound information back to Hannibal, along with the bad news about Mago. While it wasn't a conversation Thalia looked forward to having, it would get her one step closer to the book, and one step closer to getting out of this crazy place.


	14. Amat Victoria Curam

Reyna stared down at the water in front of her. Her exhausted reflection stared back. There was still blood flecked across her face and helmet, despite her attempts to wash the blood away. Her gaze moved down to her hands which had mostly been cleaned. A sigh left Reyna. She was mentally and physically exhausted.

Fighting Gato's men had been the last thing she wanted to do. To add to that, Scipio was acting oddly. What did he mean by no one, not even a goddess, being fool enough to follow them. What was that suppose to mean? Why had they split off to find the Sibylline Book? The two of them were already outnumbered, so it made no sense to divide their numbers even more.

Reyna pulled off her helmet and rested her face in her hands. Watching all of those men being slaughtered like cattle had sickened her, but she had to keep telling herself that Scipio was right. They were merely freeing the souls of the men. Since Reyna wasn't the one slitting their throats, she could shove her guilt aside and focus on the job ahead. That was all she could do.

Her mind moved to another one of her problems: Thalia Grace. It wasn't just the fact that Thalia was there. That was bad enough, but then, Thalia had told Reyna about her past. She spoke of how she sacrificed her life for her friends and was turned into a tree. Then, she was brought back, only to shirk from her duty.

Thalia had a role to play in that prophecy. She was going to make a choice that would save or destroy Olympus. Instead of stepping up to the plate and making that choice, she found a get out of jail card in the form of the Hunters of Artemis. Thalia gave that burden of choice to Percy.

Reyna found Thalia's decision to be cowardly. Thalia couldn't make the hard decisions, and now, she was leading a group of immortal warriors. How long would it be before Thalia had to make a choice and couldn't do it? How many people would die because of it? How many people had died already?

Reyna wished she could say that hearing those things lessened her crush on Thalia. It did the opposite in fact. She wanted to get closer to Thalia and learn why she made that choice. She wanted to show Thalia that it was okay to make the hard decisions. Reyna wanted to help her make those decisions.

It had been easy to ignore before, but now that Reyna was reflecting on her own duties, she found her mind going back to Thalia. The lieutenant said that the book was going back to Artemis, but she was wrong. Lupa was getting the Sibylline Book, and if Thalia wanted it, she would have to pry it from Reyna's cold, dead hands.

A sigh left Reyna, and she put her helmet back on. Thinking of Thalia was only going to cause her heart to ache and for butterflies to form in her stomach. She had to focus on finding the book. Scipio told her to talk to the poor. Would they really know where the Sibylline book was? Would they even tell Reyna?

As Reyna ran a hand through the water, she watched it ripple. When the water settled, she saw the reflection of two men standing over her. Reyna's eyes widened, and she tried to stand with one hand. Her other hand grabbed her sword, but one of the men slammed into her. They both fell into the water.

Reyna choked on the water that she had involuntarily swallowed. She felt someone wrap their arms around her, trapping her arms at her side. Reyna tried to fight back, but she didn't have any luck. Between being taken by surprise and choking on water, she didn't have a chance. She was dragged above the surface of the water a moment later.

Reyna coughed out water and gasped for breath. She saw two more men standing on the pier. Both of them wore leather armor, and charcoal covered their face like some kind of war paint. Reyna struggled with the person who had her arms trapped, but they dragged her back underneath the water.

Desperation started to take over, but Reyna couldn't panic too much. Her arms were still trapped, so there was no way she could unsheathe her sword. There was a dagger strapped to her side though. It was one Scipio had given it to her as they parted, and it was made of steel. Reyna quickly grabbed the dagger, slid it out of its sheath, and stabbed her attacker in the side.

The arms around her didn't let go, until Reyna twisted the dagger as much as she could. The grip loosened, and she pulled away. Reyna tore the dagger from their side and swam to the surface. She spat out water and gasped for breath. Before she could really get her bearings, the two other men jumped into the water.

Reyna's armor was already weighing her down, and the inability to breath made it hard to think properly. She held the dagger in front of her and tried to stay afloat. A hand grabbed her legs, and she was pulled back underneath the water. Reyna closed her mouth to keep from choking on anymore water, but she saw the two men quickly dive.

Reyna swung at them, but the attack was caught. The other slipped around her and grabbed her other arm. Reyna tried to fight, but there wasn't much she could do. Her lungs burned in agony, and she involuntarily gasped for air. Reyna instantly choked on water and felt herself panicking.

As it felt like she was going to pass out, the men pushed her upwards. As Reyna broke the surface of the water, she went into a coughing fit. Her dagger had been lost somewhere in the skirmish. Reyna gasped for air, as she felt someone trap her arms behind her back. Then, she was dragged back underneath the water.

Reyna didn't try to struggle this time. She knew that she was defeated, and anymore struggling would just waste precious energy. After a few seconds, she was dragged back to the surface. Reyna gasped for breath and choked out water. One of the men climbed aboard the docks, and she was pulled onto the docks a few moments later.

Reyna collapsed against the docks and retched up water. Her eyes slowly moved to look around. The people of Carthage were adverting their eyes. The people here wouldn't stick their neck out for a Roman, especially if these men were also Carthaginians. A Roman taken off of the streets was none of their business, which meant Reyna was on her own.

Her hands were trapped behind her back and tied by a harsh rope. Her helmet was torn off of her head. Reyna focused on calming her breathing. Her lungs ached, as did her throat. One of the men pulled her to a standing position. Reyna looked up, only to see her helmet flying at her face. It slammed into her temple, and everything went dark.

* * *

Reyna gasped for breath as she was pulled out of the water for what felt like the tenth time. She coughed and wheezed for breath. Her throat and lungs burned in agony. All she wanted to do was breathe. One of the men knelt by her and spoke, “Where is the book?”

“I don't know,” Reyna wheezed. The answer had been the same the first ten times, and it would be the same for the next ten. She didn't know where the book was, and even if she did, she wasn't going to tell them. Before Reyna could even begin to catch her breath, her head was forced back underneath the water once again.

Reyna wasn't quite sure where she was. She had woken up on a horse in the middle of the forest. Two men had dragged her into a large cave that was rather dark. There was something almost familiar about the cave, but before she had been able to figure out what it was, the men dragged her towards the small lake inside and started questioning her.

Most of her energy had already been spent struggling with the men. Reyna had allowed panic to take over a few times, and it was getting her nowhere. She knew that she was in what they called a catch twenty two situation. If she told the men any kind of location for the book, they would kill her. If she didn't, they would keep torturing her.

Reyna did her best to stay conscious. The world was getting dimmer, and her movements were extremely slowed. As Reyna thought she was about to pass out, she was pulled out of water once again. The men threw her onto the muddy shore. Reyna rolled onto her stomach and coughed miserably. She gasped for breath.

“That is enough,” a woman said. Reyna tried to look up. A woman knelt by her. There was an overpowering scent to the woman. Her hair was covered in things that looked like beads. There was also different pieces of cloth in her hair. Reyna looked down and coughed miserably.

It took a few minutes for Reyna to clear the water from her lungs and breathe normally. The men didn't stop her this time. She closed her eyes for a few moments before forcing them open and looking at the woman. A smile came to the woman's face as she ran a hand across Reyna's jaw.

Reyna flinched. The woman smelled sweet. It reminded Reyna of the fumes that ran through Temple Hill during some of their festivals, when the augur was really trying to get close to the gods. The woman spoke softly, “Please tell me the truth, Roman. Where is the book?”

“I don't know,” Reyna wheezed. She closed her eyes. Breathing in those fumes would cause her to see things that weren't real. The augurs could use those fumes to enhance their prophetic powers, but for someone who wasn't connected to a prophecy like that, it would cause them to see illusions. It was how the fake oracles did it back in Ancient Greece.

“Then, tell me where the Roman man is. Where is Scipio?” the woman asked. Reyna didn't say a word. The woman breathed in her face. Reyna flinched again. She knew what the woman was playing at. “Where is he?”

“Just stop while you're ahead,” Reyna snapped. “I know what you're going to do. You are going to tell me that you can show me the future. You can show me things I have never seen before. Those fumes are going to cause me to see hallucinations, and you'll probably throw a sack that has been doused in those fumes over my head, to make it worse. The ugly one over there looks like he has a sack.”

“Let's just skip all of this stupid nonsense,” Reyna said. She met the woman's eyes. “Either ask your questions and accept that I don't have the answers, or you can just keep torturing me. I don't care.”

The woman frowned and slowly stood. She wore robes that seemed to flow off of her. Reyna stared at the ground. Her sword was still at her side. Why were the men underestimating her? Reyna shifted her weight and glanced around. There was three men in the room. One of them was the man that she had stabbed, and he was nursing his wound.

The other two were standing a few feet away. Reyna tried to twist her hands out of the rope, but she didn't have any luck. That didn't matter though. She was already frustrated from everything that had happened, but she would use those emotions to fuel her. These men were nothing more than an inconvenience.

Reyna lunged to her feet and slammed her shoulder into the woman, driving her into the ground. The two men rushed forward. Reyna made it to her feet and dodged one of their tackles. The other threw a punch that she ducked under. Reyna kicked the man's legs out from under him and kicked him right in the jaw.

“Kill her,” the woman ordered. Reyna turned and saw one of the men rushing her with a sword. Reyna turned her back to him as he swung, and his sword bounced off of her cape. She sent a quick thanks up to Minerva, threw herself backwards and rolled, bringing her arms in front of her. As Reyna made it to her feet, she saw the man rushing her.,

Reyna brought her hands up to catch the sword. The man froze mid swing, and she kicked him right in the gut. As he double over, Reyna took the sword from his hands. She stabbed him in the throat. The third man rushed her. She turned and swung the sword. It tore through the man's throat, and he collapsed to the ground.

Reyna turned and looked at the woman. She was laying on the ground and staring up at Reyna. The woman spoke, “Please no. I'm sorry, Roman. They made me do this.”

“I know the eyes of a liar when I see one,” Reyna snapped. She walked towards the woman and stabbed the sword into her shoulder. The woman whimpered, and Reyna knelt by her, pressing her knee into the woman's chest. “This won't kill you, but blood loss will. I suggest you start speaking.”

“Please no,” the woman begged. “She hired us. She told us to bring the black eyed Roman here and get information from them.”

“About the book?” Reyna demanded. The woman nodded. “Who sent you?”

“It was a priestess,” the woman said. Her eyes widened. “No!”

A sword slammed through the woman's throat. Reyna tensed as part of the sword barely cut into her neck in the same moment. She used her eyes to glance at the sword and saw that it was made of iron. If she moved at all, she knew the sword would tear through her neck.

“Don't move,” a man said quietly. “I know that you work with Scipio. Roman. I don't want to hurt you. I just want Scipio's location.”

“Who are you?” Reyna slowly asked. “Are you working with these men?”

“My name is Hannibal Barca,” the man said. Reyna closed her eyes tightly. She started to move her hand towards the sword still buried in the woman's shoulder, but Hannibal cut a little deeper into her neck. “You can come peacefully or with a fight. The outcome will be the same.”

Hannibal pulled his sword away. Reyna let out a shaky breath and swallowed painfully. After a few moments, she spoke, “It wouldn't be a fair fight when my hands are tied.”

Hannibal made a chuckling noise. Reyna glanced behind her and studied the Carthaginian legend. Her hand moved to grab the sword buried in the woman's shoulder. Hannibal spoke, “When have the Romans ever fought fairly?”


	15. Another Wrinkle

“I need to talk to Hannibal. It's important,” Thalia said as she studied the rebel. The rebel spared her a glance and then jumped up to close the grating over the entrance to the tunnel. “Take me to him.”

“Hannibal has more important business,” the rebel said. He took off down the tunnel. Thalia glared and followed behind him. At first, she had decided to go back to the rebel base and tell Hannibal what she learned, but something told her to keep following Scipio. What if he found where this Butcher was and got the book?

Instead of even searching for this butcher, Scipio browsed the fish market before seemingly going on a tour of the city. He then went back to the Roman base and entered the building. After he didn't leave for awhile, Thalia circled back to the docks to see if she could find Reyna. The praetor wasn't anywhere in sight, so Thalia assumed that Reyna was headed back to the Roman base if not already there. She then hurried back to the rebel base.

Thalia was going to tell Hannibal where the book was, and he could help her get it. She would then take it from him, find Reyna, and they would leave. It was going to be easy. Thalia focused her attention back on the rebel that was escorting her. His face looked grim. When she first stepped into the building that housed the entrance to the rebel base, he looked excited to see her. The excitement quickly disappeared, but she couldn't figure out why.

“What is his important business?” Thalia finally asked. The rebel looked at her and sighed sadly.

“Did you not find Mago?” the rebel asked quietly. A small frown came to Thalia's face. She had forgotten about the rebel.

“I almost found him, but he was taken,” Thalia said. She looked down. “That is why I must talk to Hannibal.”

The rebel opened his mouth, but a hand grabbed Thalia's shoulder. She turned her head and looked at Hannibal. Thalia spoke, “I was looking for you. I have news.”

“As do I. Come,” Hannibal ordered. He ordered the rebel away with a wave of his hand. Thalia followed Hannibal down the hall. Hannibal seemed to be favoring his leg and arm, like he had gotten into a fight. Thalia glanced down and saw that there was a bandage around his leg.

“I found Mago, but he was taken by men,” Thalia began. Hannibal nodded once. “I know where the Sibylline Book is. I overheard Scipio talking to that Sciv kid about it. Someone named the Butcher has it.”

“The Butcher?” Hannibal asked. A frown came to his face. “I know of him. Rumors says that he eats his fellow man. It will be difficult to pry the book from him.”

“We will pry it from him,” Thalia promised. Hannibal nodded his agreement. “What did you want to show me?”

A grin came to Hannibal's face. He led Thalia to a room in a corner. Thalia heard a grunt of pain, and she frowned. Hannibal led her into the room, and Thalia froze. She stared at the Roman in front of her.

Reyna was hanging by her arms. She had been stripped of her armor and cape, and her purple shirt had blood on it. Her blue jeans were torn and covered in mud. Blood covered the bottom of Reyna's face, and the rest of her face didn't look much better. Reyna's nose was broken, and there was nasty cuts and bruises near her forehead.

“Where is the book?” the rebel asked. Reyna didn't answer. The rebel punched Reyna hard in the gut. A grunt escaped the praetor, and if she wasn't hanging by her arms, she probably would have doubled over.

“The black eyed Roman,” Thalia slowly said. She swallowed painfully. If she didn't play her cards right, Reyna would be suffering for it. Thalia winced as the praetor was punched in the gut again. “She looks like a kid. Are you really comfortable torturing her?”

“I wasn't, until I watched her kill two men and begin to torture a woman without hesitation,” Hannibal answered. He rubbed his arm. “And, she did not come without a fight. She almost managed to stab me in the chest. Don't underestimate her.”

“I won't,” Thalia promised. She swallowed painfully as she watched a third punch slam into Reyna's stomach. “But, we know where the book is now. There's no need to question her.”

Hannibal hummed his agreement. He walked into the room. Thalia slowly followed. Reyna lifted her head to see them, and upon seeing Thalia, her eyes started to widen. She looked back at the ground and let out pained breaths.

“You can't answer where the book is, but where is Mago? I know you helped capture him,” Hannibal said. He grabbed Reyna's jaw and forced her to look up. Reyna remained silent. Hannibal punched her in the stomach.

“He was taken,” Reyna gasped. She looked back at the ground. It took her a few moments to speak. “By the same people who tried torturing me. Maybe, you should have asked the woman instead of killing her!”

Hannibal punched Reyna across the face. Her head snapped to the side. Thalia stepped forward and walked towards Reyna. She spoke, “Wait. I recognize her tattoo. That was on a Roman who slaughtered some of my Hunters.”

Thalia hoped that Reyna was coherent enough to understand what she was trying to do. It took a few moments for Reyna to look up. The praetor looked at Thalia and spoke, “I thought I left you for dead in the snow.”

Thalia punched Reyna hard in the gut. She didn't hold back any of her power, and it took all of her willpower not to wince as the praetor cried out. Reyna gasped for breath, and her knees visibly went out on her. Thalia grabbed Reyna's face and spoke, “I am going to make you pay.”

Hannibal grabbed Thalia and pulled her backwards. He spoke softly, “You know of her?”

“I didn't realize who she was, until I saw the tattoo,” Thalia muttered. She clenched her fists and tried to hide how nervous she was. “Give me some time alone with her. I can make her talk.”

Hannibal seemed hesitant. Thalia scoffed and spoke, “I won't kill her. I will rough her up though. Look, I think she really does know where Mago is. I went to their base, and he wasn't there. Some other Romans talked about how they had moved a special prisoner.”

“Just don't kill her,” Hannibal warned. He looked at the rebels and motioned for them to leave. The rebels obeyed, and Thalia glanced back at Hannibal. “If you help, just yell.”

“Oh trust me. The only screams coming from this room won't be from me,” Thalia promised. Hannibal nodded and left. Thalia waited a minute and then glanced out into the hall. The rebels seemed to have cleared out. Thalia quickly moved to Reyna's side.

“I'm sorry. I couldn't make that punch look weak,” Thalia began. Reyna shook her head, but it didn't seem to be in anger. Her breath came out as small wheezes. Thalia gently gave Reyna some nectar. The praetor took it quietly and then let her head hang. “How bad are you hurt?”

“Just winded,” Reyna answered quietly. She swallowed painfully. “I've had worse.”

“What happened? How did they find you?” Thalia whispered. She glanced around and cut the ropes that held Reyna up. Reyna collapsed against her and grunted in pain. Thalia shushed her and gently laid her on the ground. “And, you can thank me later for saving you again.”

“What's the plan?” Reyna slowly asked. She swallowed painfully and got to a sitting position. Thalia helped her.

“Well, you need to get out of here,” Thalia said softly. “There's a couple of way that we can do that. You take me hostage, or I step out and you just magically free yourself.”

“I don't want to take you hostage,” Reyna said after a few moments. She looked down. “There's no guarantee that they will care about your safety more than letting me escape. We have to play this smart.”

Thalia nodded and heard footsteps. She gave Reyna an apologetic look and slammed the praetor back into the ground. Thalia pressed her forearm against Reyna's throat, making sure that she didn't actually cut off Reyna's oxygen. It had to look convincing though.

“You think you're so smart,” Thalia hissed. Reyna glared at her. Thalia grabbed her jaw. “I am going to make you pay for killing them. Do you understand that?

The footsteps passed, and Thalia waited for a few moments. She lifted her arm. Reyna spoke, “Can we talk about something?”

“About how to get you out of here? Yeah. I know you're not too keen on the hostage thing, but I think we can pull it off. Hannibal isn't a monster like Scipio,” Thalia said. Reyna gave her a look and motioned to her busted up nose. “He didn't kill you though.”

“He tried,” Reyna muttered. She seemed to let out a frustrated breath. “That's not what I'm trying to say. Thalia, I lo-”

“Lost your way. I know. Focus,” Thalia said. Reyna looked like she wanted to say something else, but Thalia placed a finger to her lips. Reyna stared at her. “Focus Reyna. You don't need to apologize. We do need a plan to get out of here.”

Reyna swallowed painfully and laid her head back. She stared up at Thalia's face. Thalia bit her lip and tried to think. How did they get out of this situation? They were in a base full of rebels, and most of them would probably kill Reyna instead of letting her escape, even if she had a hostage.

Unless, Reyna had an important hostage. There was only one person that the rebels would not harm, even if the man told them to: Hannibal. Thalia spoke, “You need to take Hannibal hostage.”

“Take him hostage,” Reyna repeated. She shook her head. “That's crazy, Thalia. I don't think I can do that. How would I even get close enough to hold him hostage?”

“Do you have a better idea?” Thalia asked. Reyna didn't offer one. “That's what I thought. We'll just get you a knife.”

“This is insane,” Reyna hissed. Thalia heard more footsteps, and she pressed her arm back against Reyna's throat. Thalia heard someone walking into the room.

“Sorry,” Thalia mouthed. She went to punch Reyna in the mouth. Reyna caught her fist and suddenly threw her backwards. Thalia flew backwards and slammed into something solid. Reyna rolled to her feet and disappeared out of the room.

Thalia stared at where Reyna had gone. What in Artemis' name had just happened? That was not the plan. Why was Reyna just going off on her own. Thalia cursed and made it to her feet. She went to rush out of the room, but someone grabbed her arm. Thalia looked down at the person she had slammed into.

“Don't go after her,” a woman said softly. She wore what looked like a robe that clung to her body. It looked like she only weighed ninety pounds. Her green eyes stared up at Thalia. “If you do, the rebels will stop her, and they will hurt her.”

“Who are you?” Thalia questioned. The woman didn't answer. Thalia slowly stood and heard shouts of alarms. She started to move, but the woman grabbed her arm.

“You two have to leave this place,” the woman whispered. Thalia looked at her in confusion. “You cannot free the monster. Please.”

“What are you talking about?” Thalia questioned. She heard running and saw Hannibal at the door. The rebel leader looked at her and then the woman. He grabbed his sword.

“Who is that?” Hannibal demanded. He took a few steps closer. “Where is that Roman?”

“I don't know. This woman just came in,” Thalia snapped. “The Roman got away!”

Hannibal cursed and looked out the room. He looked back at Thalia and spoke, “Keep that woman here. I will hunt the Roman down.”

Hannibal darted from the room. Thalia gritted her teeth angrily. She looked back at the woman and spoke, “Who are you and what is going on?”

“I know the truth,” the woman whispered. She looked at Thalia. “I know all about the book and those who want it.”

“Stop,” Thalia snapped. “Just tell me who you are and how you know all of these things.”

“Promise me that you will protect me, Thalia Grace. Promise me that you will protect me from the monster,” the woman whispered. After a few moments, Thalia nodded. “I lost my name a long time ago, but they call me the Cumaean Sibyl. I am the one who created the Sibylline Books, and all I want is for you to kill me.”


	16. De Omnibus Dubitandum

Reyna pressed herself against the wall and took shaky breaths. She heard rebels run by her but just waited. As the footsteps faded, Reyna pushed herself off of the wall and glanced down the hallway. She stepped out of the room that she had been hiding in and darted into another one. This was probably one of the craziest things she had done, and that was saying a lot.

It may have been a little rash to shove Thalia into that old woman, but Reyna just knew it was the right thing to do. Something in her gut told her to. Thalia would be upset, but she wouldn't be blamed either. The old woman had distracted her, and Reyna took advantage of it.

Now, she was heading deeper into the rebel base. It seemed like a suicide mission, but Reyna knew these tunnels well. She had learned about them at Camp Jupiter. While the rebels only had one entrance that they used, a cover that they opened and closed, there was plenty of exits to the place. Those exits were just deeper into the base.

Reyna ducked into another room and looked around. This one was full of cots. She leaned on one and let out pained breaths. Half of her brain was focused on her situation, but of course, the other half was focused on Thalia.

How could Reyna just look at Thalia and almost say that she loves her? How dumb could Reyna be? If Thalia wasn't a Hunter of Diana. If Thalia even liked girls. If Thalia even liked Reyna. There was so many damn ifs, and Reyna knew that none of those ifs would work out in her favor. An angry sigh left her.

Who even admitted that they loved someone outright? It wasn't like Reyna and Thalia knew each other that well, but for some reason, Reyna just really wanted to jump out there and tell Thalia that she loved her. Reyna rested her face in her hands. She was an idiot.

Reyna heard someone step into the room, and she shoved herself off the bed. Reyna tackled the person to the ground and covered their mouth. A young man stared up at her. Reyna leaned in close and spoke, “Tell me where my armor and weapon is. I will not be so nice if I have to ask again.”

The man couldn't have been older than eighteen, His brown eyes were full of fear. Reyna grabbed the knife that was at his side and held it to his neck. She spoke, “Tell me.”

“It's all the way down the hall. In Hannibals' office,” the man whimpered. Reyna slammed her fist into his face, and his head whip lashed against the ground. Reyna cut off a piece of his shirt and stuffed it into his mouth. She did the same to bind his hands together. Then, she stood and left the room

Reyna could hear the rebels all moving away from her, towards the entrance. She remembered the tour that Hannibal had shown her. It was all intentional in an attempt to discourage her from escape. Reyna wasn't sure how long her and Hannibal had fought for, but she almost managed to skewer him a couple of time, and he almost did the same. They were evenly matched, until Reyna's tied together wrists got in the way. Hannibal had managed to disarm her and then slam her to the ground.

From there, Hannibal had tried to choke her into unconsciousness, or death. She decided to gouge his eye out. Before she could properly finish that job, Hannibal let go of her and then kicked her in her temple. He continued the kicks until she got the message to stay down.

Hannibal didn't bother to throw a sack over her head or even cover her eyes. He just dragged her back to Carthage and the rebel base. Reyna knew exactly what that meant. Hannibal had no plans on letting her go. Once he learned the information that he needed, he was going to kill her, or she would be his prisoner for a very long time.

Reyna made it into Hannibal's office. She saw that her armor had been spread around, and she quickly dressed into it. Then, she secured her cape onto her armor and grabbed her sword. Reyna glanced into the hallway and continued moving down the hall once again.

Reyna finally heard the sound of water. She knelt down and looked at the grate below her. Water was lazily moving under the grate. If Reyna was being honest with herself, she was sick and tired of water. The last thing she wanted to do was swim in it.

From her readings, Reyna knew the tunnel fed out into a small lake in one direction and a cave in the other. The tunnel was used by the rebels to collect water for drinking and other purposes. There was other grates along the way that she would be able to use for air. She just wasn't sure how far apart they were, but her only options were to try to swim or try to fight her way out of the rebel base. Reyna let out a curse and lifted the grate. Then, she jumped into the water.

* * *

Reyna broke the surface of the water and gasped for breath. She slowly pulled herself onto the shore and breathed miserably. A tired breath left her. She was completely and utterly exhausted.

Reyna crawled a few feet forward and collapsed to the ground in a heap. Her face rested against the dirt, and a shaky sigh left her. All she really wanted to do was pass out then and there, but she knew better. Sooner or later, Hannibal would send someone to check this cave, and if she didn't move, they would find her.

It took a few moments for Reyna to roll onto her back. Then, she scooted backwards and made it into a sitting position. A groan left Reyna as she made it to her feet, and she stumbled forward. Reyna leaned on the cave wall and used it to guide her towards the exit.

Water ran down the middle of the cave, and it looked like years of water had cut a path down the cave and into the lake. The ground became steeper as Reyna walked upwards towards the entrance. Upon making it outside, she collapsed to her knees. All Reyna wanted to do was curl up on the ground, but she had to keep going. She had to find Scipio.

But, where was Carthage? Reyna looked up and tried to get her bearings. Considering there was no sun or moon in the sky, she didn't know which was north was. Reyna struggled back to her feet and started to walk. One hand gripped her sword, and the other rested against her stomach.

Reyna tried to keep her gaze focused on her surroundings, but she could feel her eyes drooping. The lack of sleep was catching up to her, and now that the adrenaline had left her, she was shaky. Reyna shook her head and made her way through the forest. And now that she was alone, her intrusive thoughts came back.

How could she just outright try to tell Thalia that she loved her? Gods, did Thalia like females? Reyna looked down and tried to think. She remembered that Annabeth mentioned Thalia was close to some guy named Luke, but how close was it? Were they friends? Something more?

Granted, you didn't join the Hunters of Diana and stay with them for just the immortality. They all hated men, and Thalia was probably the same. So, she had to like women, right? That felt like a leap of logic, but Reyna was sure that she was right. Hopefully. Gods, she really hoped that she was right.

After this, Reyna would have to talk to Jason about putting in a good word for her. That would be awkward though. Jason would ask all kinds of questions, and he wouldn't be subtle about telling Thalia. What about Annabeth? She wouldn't judge, and she knew Thalia pretty well. Yeah. That was a good idea. All Reyna had to do was find the Sibylline book, escape this hellhole, and make it back to Camp Jupiter. Then, she could focus on her feelings.

Reyna tried to refocus her thoughts. Who were those men who attacked her? Who hired them? Why did they think that she knew about the book? Why had Hannibal killed the woman? That part didn't make sense to Reyna.

There was no way that Hannibal thought the woman was a threat, so why kill her? Was he worried that the woman would go to the Carthaginian leaders? That didn't make any sense either. The woman would either be dismissed or share her story and be punished. The last thing the leaders of Carthage wanted was to piss off Rome. Attacking a Roman was a great way to piss of Rome.

Did the woman have information that Hannibal did not want shared? If someone hired those people to kidnap Reyna, did they also go to Hannibal? An angry sigh left Reyna. She had so many questions and only bruises to show for it. Reyna heard a branch snap, and she quickly turned her head.

Reyna didn't see anyone, and she realized that she was being paranoid, since a broken branch was under her foot. A curse left her, and she increased her pace. Reyna kept her thoughts on looking around for threats, and as she stepped through a tree line, a sigh of relief left her. She was on some kind of road, which meant she was near civilization.

Reyna turned to her right and started to walk down the road. She heard the sounds of hooves and quickly stepped back into the treeline. Reyna ducked behind a tree and waited for the horse to pass. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the horse stop. Someone dismounted the horse.

“Scipio?” Reyna asked. She slowly stepped out from the tree and looked at the Roman general. He turned towards her, and a relieved look came to his face. “How did you find me?”

“When I didn't find you at the base, I had a bad feeling. I figured that you were taken by rebels, and when I found your helmet where I left you at the docks, I knew you had been taken. It took some convincing, but I was told where one of the entrances to their base was,” Scipio explained. “I guess it was luck, or fate, that I ran into you here.”

“What made you think I was taken by rebels?” Reyna asked. Scipio mounted his horse and held a hand out. Reyna walked towards him and climbed onto the horse.

“One was following us,” Scipio answered. Reyna stared at his back as she felt the horse start to gallop. “A girl. Wore something like a cloak, but it wasn't. Weird clothes, like yours.”

Reyna tensed. She slowly spoke, “What did she look like?”

“Black hair. Blue eyes that were like lightning,” Scipio answered. “Had a bow. Freckles too.”

Thalia was spying on Reyna. She was spying on Reyna when she was suppose to be going back to the rebel base. Reyna slowly spoke, “What happened with her?”

“She was following us, and when we split at the docks, she followed me. I thought I lost her when I learned the location of the book, but part of me thinks that she was still following me. And, I think she followed me all the way back to our headquarters. When one of my men reported someone watching us, I went to investigate. She was gone.”

“When you didn't come back, I thought she went after you. That is why I went back to the docks. I am sorry that I told us to split up. Are you hurt?” Scipio asked. Reyna just stared at his back. Thalia was following Scipio, and upon learning where the book was, she did not go back to Reyna. She did not go back.

That didn't make any sense. If Thalia was following them and saw them split up, why didn't she stay with Reyna? Why didn't she go back for Reyna as soon as she found the book? Even if Thalia got there after Reyna had been abducted, she could have asked any of the people what they saw. They would have told her, since she wasn't a Roman. And, Thalia had looked surprised when she saw Reyna. What was going on?

Reyna tried to tell herself that Thalia had gotten there too late to stop the abduction, and she hadn't been able to find any trace of Reyna. Thalia only went to the rebel base to see if they had information. But, a small cynical part of Reyna, the same damn part that had her heart broken by another Grace, told her that the Graces did not truly care for her and could not be trusted to have her back.

“Reyna, are you hurt? I can take us to a healer,” Scipio began. He looked back at Reyna.

“I'm fine,” Reyna muttered. “Just distracted.”

“What happened to you?” Scipio questioned. Reyna closed her eyes and then recounted the story. She held nothing back about the men that ambushed her, and she didn't hold anything back about the rebels, except for the fact that she knew Thalia. That wasn't something she was ready to disclose yet.

Scipio listening silently, and they made their way into Carthage and towards the Roman base. Reyna finished her story and just stared ahead. Her thoughts were bouncing back and forth. Scipio spoke softly, “That's the girl you like, isn't it?”

Reyna drew in a sharp breath. Scipio dismounted the horse and offered Reyna help. After a moment, she climbed down from the horse. Reyna spoke, “How did you know?”

“The odd clothes. The way you spoke of her and the feeling I got when I looked at her. She feels powerful,” Scipio said. “I can see why you like her.”

“She tried to help me escape,” Reyna said softly. A sigh left her. “Diana sent her to retrieve the book. I didn't know she was here until recently. But, I am bringing that book back to Lupa. Even if Thalia doesn't want me to.”

“You're worried that this will cause a clash?” Scipio asked. Reyna nodded. Scipio studied her. “I understand. Let me tell you something. My wife and I have arguments all the time about me going to war. She thinks that every time I step onto the battlefield will be my last, but I keep fighting because of my loyalty to Rome. My wife sees this, and she understands. If you and this Thalia are meant for each other, she will see your actions as just a byproduct of your loyalty.”

“It's not that simple. Why didn't she help me?” Reyna asked. She shook her head and sighed angrily. Scipio grabbed her arm.

“Do not cloud your thoughts,” Scipio said quietly. “Now, we will find the book, and you will return it to Lupa. I am sure that Thalia will understand, and if she doesn't, she obviously isn't meant for you. Thalia should understand how loyal to Rome you are.”

“You're right,” Reyna said softly. She sighed and looked down.

“Let's get you some food,” Scipio said. “Then, we can plan on how to retrieve the book and end this nightmare.”


	17. More Questions Than Answers

“Who is that woman?” Hannibal asked. Thalia offered a shrug and studied the woman. Was this really the same person who had created the Sibylline Books? Did she remember what she wrote on them? Oh, and why in Zeus' name did she want Thalia to kill her?

“A crazy lady,” Thalia finally answered. “That somehow made it past all of the rebels and into the room where I was interrogating the Roman. I'm going to guess that she is probably connected to the more mythological part of the world.”

“The Roman disappeared. We can't find her anywhere,” Hannibal muttered. He started to pace. “The Roman is going back to Scipio and will tell him all about this. I will be thrown into prison, and the rebel cause will be crushed.”

“I think you're being a little dramatic,” Thalia said. “If the Roman escaped, there is no way that she knows this area. It will take her time to get back to Carthage, if she can find it. Even if she tells Scipio, he won't immediately go to your leaders, and how do you know they will side with the Romans over you?”

“They are cowards,” Hannibal said. He started to pace back and forth. “We have to figure this out.”

“Get the book. Simple as that. We need it for leverage,” Thalia said. Hannibal looked at her and finally nodded. “You plan how we are going to do that. I'll talk to this weirdo and see if I can figure anything out.”

“You know that you are in a base of rebels, correct?” Hannibal asked. Thalia studied him for a moment, and her eyes narrowed. She finally nodded. “Good. Just keep that in mind.”

Thalia watched Hannibal walk away. Who was he to threaten her? Who was he to think that Thalia would allow herself to be threatened? If it wasn't for the fact that she had more pressing matters, Thalia would grab Hannibal and give him a piece of her mind.

Thalia walked back into the room. The weird Sibylline Book oracle? Lady? Whatever she was, she was staring ahead. There was a jug of water on the table in front of her. Thalia spoke, “We don't have much time. What is your name?”

The woman shrugged, and Thalia almost let out a deep sigh. This was going to be like trying to get a conversation out of Reyna. Thalia spoke, “Just tell me what your name is before I dub you crazy old lady.”

“I don't know my name,” the woman admitted. Thalia sighed. Alright, that was more words than Reyna gave her at first. This might go smoother.

“But, you made the Sibylline Books, right?” Thalia asked. The woman nodded. “I'm calling you Sibyl. I don't have a lot of time, so start explaining what is going on. How did you know where I was? How do you know who I am?”

“I have been wandering the world for so long,” Sibyl answered, and a dreamy look came to her eyes. “I have watched empires rise and fall in the same breath. People have been born, fell in love, and buried right before my very eyes. The sea and sky never meet but is always near.”

“Stop,” Thalia interrupted. “If you are going to make a sentence, it has to make sense. Please don't try to be all mysterious with me. First question, how are you not dead?”

Sibyl shrugged. Thalia nodded and then rubbed her face. She was going to strangle the woman. After a moment, Sibyl spoke, “Those books were my life's work, and I believe the gods have punished me for it. I believe my life is tied to the books.”

“You want me to kill you, which I can do by destroying the books?” Thalia asked. Sibyl nodded. “How do I destroy a book?”

“I have been soaking the words in my blood,” Sibyl answered. She moved closer to Thalia. “I have destroyed three of the books that way. The words were washed away by my blood, and I felt weaker.”

“This isn't even the last book then, is it? Do you remember what you wrote?” Thalia questioned. Sibyl nodded. “Can you rewrite it then?”

“No,” Sibyl answered. She crossed her arms and seemed to hug herself. “It hurts to much. Burns in agony. Writing down those words almost killed me once before, and the pain was so terrible. I was possessed, but I cannot go through it again.”

“Can you speak it?” Thalia asked. Sibyl thought about it and nodded. “Alright. If you speak it, I can write it down, right?”

“If the Fates let you,” Sibyl answered.

“Of course,” Thalia said. She let out a frustrated sigh. “That makes total sense. Let's try something easier. Who is the monster that you want me to protect you from?”

"The wolf of Rome,” Sibyl whispered. She looked down and made a noise like a whimper. Thalia frowned. She had a very bad feeling about who the wolf of Rome was. “If the wolf finds me, all of the words will be taken from me. I can't go through that pain, Thalia Grace. Please do not make me.”

“I will do my best to protect you,” Thalia promised. She knelt in front of Sibyl. “But, you have to help me too. Does the wolf of Rome know you are here?”

“I don't think so. Not yet. My scent is strong though. It will not be hidden by the book for long,” Sibyl said. Thalia looked down and thought through her options. If Sibyl was handed over to the Romans here, they would definitely force her to write down her prophecies, and while Thalia could steal those writings, she would still feel terrible about the pain that Sibyl would go through.

Thalia could also leave with Sibyl, but if she took the woman to Camp Jupiter, Lupa would know. If they went to Artemis, Thalia could probably talk her lady into keeping Lupa away. There was still the matter of the book. Could Thalia just leave it? What if someone else found it?

Reyna was another factor. She wouldn't leave without the book, and if she learned about Sibyl, she would want to take the woman to Camp Jupiter. Thalia could try to talk her out of it, but Reyna wouldn't think bad of Lupa. No one at Camp Jupiter did, and Thalia still remembered how fondly Jason talked of that stupid wolf.

The same wolf that took Jason away from Thalia. The same one that taught him how to be a Roman and leave his old life behind. Thalia knew it wasn't technically Lupa's fault, but she could only hate Hera so much before she had to turn her anger over to someone else, and the wolf goddess was an easy target.

Thalia let out a frustrated breath. She wasn't sure what to do. None of the options in front of her seemed viable. Sibyl suddenly spoke, “Beware the rebirth without baptism.”

“What?” Thalia asked. Before she could get a proper answer, Sibyl suddenly howled in pain. She jumped to her feet. Thalia rushed forward, and Sibyl collapsed.

Thalia caught the woman and gently laid her on the ground. She studied Sibyl. The woman looked perfectly fine, so why had she passed out? This was becoming too much for Thalia. All she could do was rub her forehead. There was the sound of rushing footsteps.

“What happened?” Hannibal questioned. He hurried into the room and crouched down by them.

“Don't know,” Thalia muttered. She moved her fingers to her temples and started to rub them, hopefully fighting off her forming headache. “We were talking, and she just screamed. Then passed out. Nothing she said was helpful.”

“This must be a trick,” Hannibal muttered. He looked up. “Or a test. They are testing me.”

“Your gods?” Thalia asked. She stood. “I thought you said they didn't answer.”

“Not the gods,” Hannibal muttered. He started to pace. “A woman came to me and said that she had answers. She showed me where the Roman with black eyes was.”

“What kind of woman was it?” Thalia questioned. Hannibal studied her. Thalia frowned. Why was he now being hostile to her? What had changed? “Anything special about her?”

“She seemed to be able to tell the future,” Hannibal finally answered. He sighed and looked down. “We must move quickly if we are to get the book before the Butcher can sell it. And, we must beat the Romans to it.”

“Hey, we can beat the Romans,” Thalia said. “You handle Scipio, and I will handle the woman. She won't get away again.”

This was actually perfect. If Thalia and Reyna could separate from the two generals, they could take the book and just leave. As for Sibyl, Thalia wasn't sure. She didn't even know what would happen if she brought the book out of this place. Would anything even happen?

Thalia shook her head. She couldn't focus on all of these questions. All she could do was focus on the facts in front of her. The book was within her grasp, which meant she needed to get it. Then, she would take Reyna and get the hell out of this place.

“What's the plan?” Thalia asked as she looked up at Hannibal. He studied her for a long moment and then stepped out of the room. Thalia cautiously stood and placed a hand to her weapons. When Hannibal returned, it was with two men. He directed them to help Sibyl. Then, he turned towards Thalia.

“We beat the Romans to the book,” Hannibal said. He met her eyes. “And if they try to stop us, we will kill them.”

“How do you plan on beating them?” Thalia asked. Hannibal studied her for a very long moment. He finally looked down and sighed tiredly. His shoulders drooped.

“We must take some of the rebels and assault the Butcher's base. I feel this is our last chance to get the book. I feel that something terrible is going to happen soon, and I fear what it may be. If we have the book, we can prevent whatever it is.”

“Hey. We're on the same team,” Thalia said. She wanted to add that she wanted to work with Hannibal, despite his threats, but she bit her tongue. “We both want the book. So, let's get it together.”

“Together,” Hannibal agreed. Thalia nodded and looked back at Sibyl. While she wouldn't say it out loud, she had a bad feeling too. Something terrible was going to happen, and it probably involved the Romans. Thalia just needed to get the book, find Reyna, and get out. From there, she could worry about saving Sibyl, even though the woman wanted Thalia to kill her. A sigh left the daughter of Zeus. It was going to be a long day.


	18. Damnation Ad Bestias

The Butcher's base was rather horrifying. Reyna wasn't sure if it was the bodies of the dead animals that hung around and had maggots coming out of it or the other corpses, the human one. Actually. Both of them freaked her out.

Scipio's face was hard to read. After getting some food and a hour of rest, Reyna and Scipio had made a plan. They didn't have the numbers to storm the base, so they were going to sneak in. The two kept their armor, but they both wore black cloaks that covered everything.

It had been easy enough to sneak in. The Butcher's men were away, probably rounding up more victims. As for the Butcher himself, Reyna had no clue where he was. She did hear distant screams though, so that gave her a good hint to his location.

“Where should we go?” Reyna asked quietly. She leaned on the wall and stared at the ground. Reyna felt sick to her stomach, and the smell was terrible. It was really getting to her. Reyna pressed her fist against her mouth.

“Towards the screams,” Scipio whispered. He glanced at Reyna. “That is where the Butcher will be. We will get answers and the book from him.”

“Great,” Reyna muttered. Scipio turned and left the room. After a moment, Reyna followed behind. They made it through a maze of corridors, but they didn't actually run into anyone. That worried Reyna. There should have been some of the Butcher's men around. Instead, it was almost eerily silent, especially since the screaming had stopped.

They slowly made their way towards the the location of the scream. A shaky breath left Reyna. The plan was simple. The two would get the book, and then, they would find Thalia. Reyna and Thalia would leave together and finally end this nightmarish time loop.

Reyna glanced to her side. Scipio walked with purpose. He told Reyna that the only thing he wanted was to be free, and it seemed like the end was in sight. They just needed that book, and she also needed to know where the barrier was. That would be harder to find, but if she just took a horse and rode it in one direction, that would work, right?

Scipio held up his hand as they made it towards a room that was covered with the skin of a bear. It hunt like a curtain. Scipio grabbed his sword with one hand and pushed the curtain to the side with the other. After a moment, he lowered his hand. Reyna glanced into the room and instantly looked away.

“All dead,” Scipio said softly. He stepped into the room. It took Reyna a few moment to work up the courage to follow behind. There was bodies littered throughout the room. Each of them had their throats slit, and they have bled out long ago. Reyna knelt by one of them and felt their skin. They felt cold, so the bodies weren't fresh.

“Any ideas for how long ago this was?” Reyna asked. She closed her eyes. The rebels probably didn't do this, considering they had been a little preoccupied with trying to torture her. Was this a new threat at play? Did the Butcher have some rival group that went after him? Was it unrelated?

“The Butcher is described as a huge man with a scarred face. None of these bodies match that,” Scipio said. Reyna forced herself to look at the bodies. None of them had scarred faces, just cold and lifeless eyes. Reyna quickly looked away. “We must continue on them.”

“Agreed,” Reyna said. She turned towards the door but heard the sounds of footsteps. Scipio unsheathed his sword. Reyna backed away, and two figures appeared at the door. A curse almost left Reyna as she saw Hannibal. Standing next to him was Thalia.

Hannibal looked around at the carnage. Then, he focused on the two of them and spoke, “What have you monsters done?”

“This is your handiwork, Barca. I am no fool,” Scipio said. Reyna looked between the two of them. She met eyes with Thalia.

“I got the girl. She isn't getting away again,” Thalia said. Before any of them could react, Thalia ran forward and launched herself at Reyna. The two hit the ground hard, and Thalia threw a solid punch that hit Reyna right in her injured nose.

Reyna threw her own punch at Thalia's jaw. Then, she shoved Thalia backwards. Her eyes were watering from the punch, and after this, she was going to teach Thalia how to not punch her ally in their broken nose. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Hannibal and Scipio were locked in combat.

Reyna tried to stand, but she was slammed into the wall. Thalia slipped behind her and wrapped one arm around her throat. Reyna tried to fight, but she was pulled to the ground and catch in some sort of choke hold, but thankfully, Thalia had enough common sense to not cut Reyna's oxygen off.

“Where's the book?” Thalia questioned quietly. She had her lips right next to Reyna's ear, and it took all of Reyna's willpower not to shudder.

“I don't know,” Reyna muttered. She struggled with Thalia but didn't put much effort into it. “We just found this.”

“Well, I found the Sibyl. You know that weird little oracle that made all of those Sibylline Books,” Thalia whispered. Reyna's eyes widened, and she pulled away from Thalia. It took her a moment to pin Thalia to the ground.

“The Sibylline Books?” Reyna asked quietly. Some blood fell from her nose and hit Thalia in the face.

“Yeah. So, you need to take a fall,” Thalia whispered. Before Reyna could argue, Thalia slammed two feet into her chest and slammed her into the wall. Reyna bounced off of the wall and hit the ground hard. Thalia was pinning her a moment later. “Sorry about this.”

Reyna caught the fist that was headed right for her nose. In a situation where the two of them were pretending to fight, Reyna was somehow actually getting her ass kicked. Thalia knew how to throw her punches without any actual power, right? Maybe, she just didn't have any self control.

“Why would I take a fall?” Reyna snapped. She slammed a knee into Thalia's stomach and pinned her to the ground. Thalia looked like she had been winded by the blow. “Especially since the rebels tried to torture me only a hour ago!”

“I don't think a few punches count as torture,” Thalia hissed. Reyna glared at her. “You were the one who said you had worse. It's not like you had any bones broken.”

“You take the dive then,” Reyna snapped. She wrapped both hands around Thalia's throat but didn't actually squeeze. All Reyna did was stare into Thalia's electric blue eyes. There was confusion and some pain on Thalia's face.

Despite the situation, Reyna found herself lost in Thalia's eyes. This was why she couldn't talk to Thalia. Talking to her meant they would inevitably make eye contact, and when they made eye contact, Reyna would just stare into those beautiful eyes. In what Reyna would call her dumbest moment yet, she leaned in to kiss Thalia. A fist slammed directly into her mouth.

Reyna found herself on the ground a moment later. Thalia pinned her to the ground and stared down at her. What did Thalia not understand about pulling her punches? Thalia spoke, “Just take a dive, Reyna. It's not that hard, and Hannibal won't hurt you.”

“I can actually trust Scipio. He just wants us to retrieve the book,” Reyna hissed. Her mouth ached in pain, and she could feel her nose was bleeding again.

“Scipio wants the Romans to have the book. It's not going to them. It is gong to Artemis, along with Sibyl,” Thalia said. Reyna stared up at Thalia. She wasn't sure if it was exhaustion or being tortured or the fact that this entire situation was just one giant shit show, but Reyna was over the entire damn thing. She just wanted the book and to be out of this place, away from Thalia Grace and her stupid feelings.

“It is going back to Camp Jupiter and Lupa!” Reyna snapped. The next punch she threw had all of her power behind it, and the punch caught Thalia right on the chin. Reyna shoved Thalia backwards and scrambled to her feet.

Reyna watched Thalia flip her canister into a spear, and the hair on the back of her neck stood. She barely ducked underneath lightning. Reyna turned to look behind her, and she stared at the black mark on the wall. Reyna turned back towards Thalia and just stared. She really wanted to yell at Thalia for trying to kill her with lightning, but instead, she unsheathed her own sword and attacked Thalia.

Thalia dodged the blow and stabbed forward. Reyna deflected the attack and stabbed forward as well. Thalia dodged once again and danced away. Reyna caught her next attack and shoved Thalia backwards. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something land in the middle of the room. There was a loud bang and a bright flash from it

Reyna looked away and blinked rapidly, trying to get her bearings. Something solid slammed into her temple, and she collapsed to the ground. Reyna tried to blink away the stars that she saw, and upon being able to look up, she saw a man standing over her. Then, a boot slammed into her temple.

Reyna lost consciousness for a few moments, and when she came to, she felt something cold resting against her throat. Her head ached in pain, and she could barely keep it lifted. It took her a moment to realize that someone was holding onto her jaw and keeping her head lifted. The cold thing against her throat was a sword. Her eyes moved around the room. Hannibal and Thalia were gone. Scipio was lowering his sword.

“You have the Carthaginians. What do you want from us?” Scipio questioned. Reyna blinked a few times and tried to come to her senses. How long had she been out of it? “We have nothing to offer you.”

“You two have much to offer us,” a woman said. Reyna moved her eyes towards the woman. This woman wore a type of shawl, and her eyes looked green. Her pupils did as well. There was a familiar presence about her. Reyna was too rattled to place it. “You two have a simple answer to my one query.”

“One of you knows the wolf of Rome. Tell me about them,” the woman said. Scipio raised his gaze and didn't say a word. Reyna tensed as the sword cut slightly into her throat, spilling drops of blood. “Or, does your female friend know about it?”

Reyna blinked a few times. She could feel that she was on her knees, and someone was putting enough pressure on her legs that she wouldn't be able to pull away, and they had her hands trapped behind her back. There was also the sword cutting precariously close to her jugular.

“I see many things,” the woman said. She knelt in front of Reyna. “One of you knows the wolf of Rome well. One of you can tell me everything that I want to know. That one will be questioned. The other will be allowed to walk away.”

The only wolf that Reyna's scrambled brain could think of was Lupa, but she wasn't about to sell out the wolf goddess. At the end of the day, Reyna would keep her mouth shut, even if Lupa had thrown her into this mess. Silence filled the room, and the woman stood.

“Why go through all of this?” Scipio questioned. “Why would you go through the Butcher and all of his men just to get to us? What does this wolf of Rome have to do with anything?”

“It has everything to do with this,” the woman snapped. She turned on Scipio. “You two would not be able to understand, but I am from a time beyond you. This entire place is nothing more than a facade. My men and I have been waiting for the right moment to avenge my sister.”

“Avenge your sister?” Scipio questioned. He raised an eyebrow. “Did Rome pillage one of your villages.”

“You crossed the barrier,” Reyna said suddenly. She didn't mean to speak, but the words had just slipped out. Her mind was still trying to work through the clues in her head, but she just forgot to tell herself not to talk.

“It seems I have my answer. Show me her arm,” the woman said. Reyna didn't fight as both of her arms were brought in front of her. The woman grabbed her forearm and examined the tattoo on it. “So, you know of a wolf of Rome.”

“What is so important about this wolf?” Reyna hissed. She almost swallowed painfully as the sword shifted against her throat.

“My family is ancient,” the woman whispered. Her green eyes met Reyna's. Those eyes reminded Reyna of something, but she just couldn't place it. “We were given a great task by the gods, and my sister was chosen for the most important position. The gods tasked her with finding these books, and she found a lead. But, a beast began to stalk her.”

“The beast was as large as an elephant. It moved with speed that did not match it's size. I still remember those cold eyes. It stalked into my village, killing everyone in sight. This wolf made it's way into the temple where my sister was. I returned home after the massacre. The first place I ran was to the temple, and do you know what I found?”

“I found the corpse of my sister: desecrated and pillaged. Not something that a beast could do. With her dying words, my sister told me that the beast transformed. It became more person than monster, and it questioned her about the Sibylline Books. When my sister didn't answer, she was tortured and maimed. Your wolf of Rome did that, and I have swore to find those books ever since.”

“I have walked this world for so long, taking up the burden of my sister. Now, you are going to tell me everything about the wolf of Rome, or what that beast did to my sister is only a fraction of what I am going to do to you,” the woman hissed. Reyna remained silent. “Do not think I won't, Roman.”

“She knows nothing of the wolf of Rome,” Scipio interrupted. He took a step forward. Reyna winced as the sword went a little deeper into her neck. Anymore deeper would mean permanent damage. “She cannot help you, but I can. There is no need to torture her.”

“You lie,” the woman snapped. She stood and turned. “I have spent much time consorting with the gods. I know she is from Camp Jupiter, and I know of the connection. I am not fooled, boy.”

“You are a fool,” Scipio stated. The woman turned on him. Reyna stared at the ground. The man had let go of her arms after he showed the woman her forearm. Reyna suddenly grabbed the sword at her throat and pulled it away. She slammed her head backwards. A man howled in pain and fell backwards. Reyna stumbled to her feet.

Reyna turned, only for a heavy weight to slam into her. The weight slammed her into the wall, and her head cracked against it. Reyna crumpled to the ground and placed both hands to her head. There was the sounds of fighting, but Reyna didn't have the strength to look up.

Someone knelt by her and gently grabbed her arm. Reyna groaned and felt a hand gently touch her forehead. Scipio spoke, “We must hurry.”

“Woman,” Reyna slowly groaned. Scipio helped her to her feet, but she collapsed against him. Scipio caught her.

“Stay with me, Reyna. Just stay awake,” Scipio said. Reyna stared at the ground and saw a pool of blood. There was another man near the pool of blood. He had a sword sticking out of his lower spine. “This one is going to answer my questions. Then, we're going to find the book.”

“Thalia,” Reyna slowly said. She tried to stand on her own, but her knees went weak. Scipio grabbed her and helped her slowly sit against the wall. He offered her some nectar. Reyna slowly took it, but she still felt confused and disoriented. “Have to help her.”

“We will,” Scipio promised. He studied her for a moment and stood. Scipio turned towards the fallen man. “First, we will get our answers from him. Then, we will take care of you. After that, we will find your friend.”


	19. The Oracle

Thalia yelled in pain as the red hot iron was pressed to her stomach. She wanted to lash out at the man in front of her, but a heavy rock was tied to her legs and kept her weighed down. Her arms were tied above her head, and fresh blood was trickling from her arms.

There was ragged cuts all over Thalia's arms. She wasn't sure there was a reason for why those cuts had been made. It seemed like the man just wanted to hurt Thalia anyway that he could, and when another man had walked into the room carrying a few tools, Thalia's day got a whole lot worse.

This whole being tortured thing was a new one too. Monsters didn't really torture demigods. They just ate them or killed them outright. It was true that Thalia had been stuck in a tree and that was torturous, but it was all mental torture. This was a lot worse, because of the physical pain and also the fact that the idiots weren't even asking her questions.

Wasn't that the point of torture? If you were going to torture someone, you were suppose to ask them a question, and they would, hypothetically, give you the truthful answer. Did no one tell these guys that? Thalia knew that men were idiots, but this seemed like something even they would understand.

“What do you want?” Thalia snapped. She hissed as the iron rod was pulled away from her stomach and set back into the fire. Her breath came out as ragged gasps, and she tried to struggle with her bindings. “I don't have your answers.”

“We both know you do,” the man sneered. He waited for a few seconds and then pull the iron rod back out. Thalia involuntarily flinched. As the man went to press the iron rod to her stomach, someone stepped into the room.

“What are you doing?” a woman demanded. The man pressed the iron rod to Thalia's stomach, and another yell escaped Thalia. The woman grabbed the rod and shoved it away. “She isn't with them. She doesn't know!”

Thalia let out a groan, and her head lolled forward. It took her a few moments to look at the woman. Green eyes studied her. There was a deep sorrow in her eyes. As the man threw the iron rod down and stepped away, the woman slowly looked at Thalia.

“I'm sorry,” the woman whispered. She played with her shawl. “We were not sure who you were with. But, I understand now”

“This is a terrible good cop bad cop routine,” Thalia muttered. She tried to lift her head, but her body was exhausted. “Seriously, why don't you try again? Maybe, you can switch roles.”

“Leave us,” the woman ordered. The man grumbled and picked up the iron rod. He looked like he wanted to press it back into Thalia's stomach. Instead, he turned and left the room. The woman looked at Thalia. “My name is Halima.”

“I don't care,” Thalia hissed. Halima studied her and then sighed. She grabbed a knife from her belt and cut the ropes around Thalia's wrist. Thalia collapsed against her, and Halima caught her. The woman shushed her. “Get off me.”

“Just calm down,” Halima ordered. She stood and walked to the opposite side of the room, towards a sack. Wait. No. That was a backpack. Thalia blinked a few times and watched Halima unzip the backpack and pull out a bag of ambrosia. “I was not sure if I could trust you or the other one.”

“Well, I can't trust you, so we've established that,” Thalia said. Halima sighed and shook her head. “Oh, so I'm just suppose to trust the person who tortured me. I'm not a fool!”

“I am a priestess. I am not a violent person,” Halima said. “My family has been blessed by the gods for a very long time. Please, I am so sorry that we did this to you.”

Thalia didn't say a word. Halima finally sighed and shook her head. She sat on a stool and let out a bitter laugh. Halima spoke, “Sympathy was never my strong suit. I could never connect to people like my sister did. Personally, I think the good cop bad cop routine is a great one.”

“Let's get to the point,” Halima said. “You and I have something in common. We both crossed the barrier and don't try to deny it. I found twenty dollars and a stick of gum in your pockets.”

“I was saving that for later, so put it back,” Thalia said. Halima gave her a look. “Hey. I'm going to want fresh breath after you make me cough out blood.”

“You, that female Roman, and I all crossed the barrier. We all stepped through time. That we have in common. What else do we have in common?” Halima questioned. Thalia studied her. “Now, where do you want the book to go?”

“What book?” Thalia asked, and she did her best to shrug. Halima glared at her. “Look, can we just go back to the torture part, so I can be left alone sooner?”

“I am going to bring the book to Zeus. I am sure you would not want to anger him,” Halima said. Thalia laughed painfully, and a small smile came to her face.

“I'm sure that I wouldn't want to. Don't want to have him smite me,” Thalia said. Halima glared at her. “Just grab the stupid rod again. Let's get this over with.”

“Do you know the wolf of Rome?” Halima asked. Thalia raised an eyebrow. “No. You don't.”

“Is that some kind of new monster? Was it a wolf raised in Rome?” Thalia asked. “Should I care? I feel like you're going to go back to torturing me either way.”

Halima sighed and rubbed her face. She spoke, “The wolf of Rome is a monster. It tortured and desecrated my sister. I have vowed to take her place as a priestess, and I have done that for so long.”

“Wait,” Thalia interrupted. “Give me that bag and free my legs. Then, we can talk about this wolf of Rome.”

Halima studied her for a long moment and then stood. She grabbed the knife and cut the ropes around Thalia's legs. Then, she tossed the bag of ambrosia to her. Thalia took one and almost sighed in relief as some of the pain faded.

“Tell me of the wolf,” Halima whispered. She stood and walked towards a small table. Thalia leaned against the wall and tried to gather her strength. Halima grabbed a large cloth and walked back to Thalia's side. She wrapped the cloth around Thalia's arms.

“Lupa. That's her name,” Thalia said. “Big fan of the Romans, and I hate her. If you give me the book, I promise that it is not going to Lupa. We can take it back to Zeus, and I know how to do that. First, tell me how you got here.”

“I woke up a few days ago, and I received a message from the gods,” Halima said. She looked down at the ground and sighed tiredly. “My dreams were filled of visions of this place, this barrier. I gathered some of my priests, and we appeared here.”

“Trying to find the book,” Thalia interrupted. “Join the club.”

“No. I was looking for the wolf of Rome. I knew that it was here. That is what the gods showed me, but I know that the wolf wants the book. That means I want the book,” Halima whispered.

“Lupa isn't here. She sent someone in her place,” Thalia said. Halima's eyes lit up. “But, I really can't tell you anymore. I don't even know you.”

Halima studied her for a long moment. Then, she spoke, “My name is Halima. My last name was lost a very long time ago, so I use the name Smith as my last. I am twenty seven years old, but the power of the gods keep me immortal.”

“Worst prank ever,” Thalia muttered. Halima glared at her.

“I am an immortal oracle, but I never had powers like my counterparts. The great god Apollo gave power to the oracle of Delphi, but my lord only gave power to my sister. When she was killed and desecrated, that power was lost. Part of me believes that finding the book will give me the power that I lost, and when I give it to my lord, he will be pleased.”

“Your lord? And, you wanted to give it to Zeus,” Thalia said. Her eyes narrowed. “So, you are an oracle for Zeus?”

“The oracle of Dodona to be exact,” Halima said. “My family has always pledged itself to Zeus.”

“He's going to be really upset when he learns that you hurt and tortured his daughter,” Thalia said. Halima stared at her. Then, she stood and walked towards Thalia. Halima collapsed to her knees.

“I am so sorry. I am so sorry, my lady. Please forgive me. Please. I did not know,” Halima pleaded in Greek. “I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you. I will serve you. I swear on the River Styx to serve you and help your however you need!”

Thalia stared at the woman and blinked a few times. They just needed to stop and go back. About ten minutes ago, the woman was having Thalia tortured. Five minutes after that, she was pretending to be nice and questioning Thalia. Now, she was pledging her loyalty? What was going on?

This was officially crazy. Thalia was dealing with a bunch of crazy people. This entire scenario, in a word, was crazy. A sigh left her, and she shook her head. Halima looked up at her, and gods above, there was tears in her eyes. She actually looked upset by what she had done.

“I will give you the book,” Halima said. She tried to speak, but Thalia held up a hand.

“No. Don't say anything else. That is all I want to hear. Where is the book, and how do I not know this is a trap? This sounds like some kind of trap,” Thalia said. Halima looked her in the eyes.

“It is not. I swear on the River Styx that I am going to help you and serve you. If I had known, we never would have touched you,” Halima pleaded. Thalia scooted back against the wall and cradled her arm against her aching stomach.

“You said you would give me the book. Where is it?” Thalia questioned.

“This man named the Butcher has it, but he fled when we assaulted his base. A few of my men went to find him and have been hunting him down,” Halima answered.

“How many men did you bring?” Thalia asked. Halima looked at her and slowly moved closer.

“I brought only three, but we have managed to convince some of the men here, mercenaries, to help us,” Halima replied. She sighed deeply and looked down. “We tried questioning the Romans about the wolf of Rome, but they were able to break free. I barely fled in time.”

“Did you hurt them?” Thalia questioned.

“I assume the female is a friend of yours,” Halima said. Thalia didn't reply. “I know she is from Camp Jupiter. It seemed like she was concussed rather badly, but that man with her protected her.”

“Scipio. He's becoming her best friend,” Thalia said. “Look, Reyna knows the wolf of Rome: Lupa. And let me tell you, there is nothing you can do to take revenge on Lupa. Whatever she did to your sister is a tragedy, but trying to harm the wolf goddess is going to get you killed. We're going to hurt her by not giving her the book, but I need to find Reyna and the book first.”

“And, where is Hannibal?” Thalia questioned. She had almost forgotten about the man. He would be a good guide to help her find the barrier.

“In a cell,” Halima answered. She stood. “Let me tend to your injuries. Then, I will lead you to him.”

Thalia nodded and remained silent. She didn't trust Halima at all, but she didn't think the woman would break her vow on the River Styx. If she did, there would be a terrible punishment. Thalia's plan was still the same though, but she would use Halima to complete it. Get the book, find Reyna and drag her concussed self to the barrier. Then, the two would finally leave this nightmare.


	20. Effectus Sequitur Causam

“How do you feel?” Scipio asked. Reyna blinked a few times and slowly looked up at the Roman. He knelt in front of her and held a lantern near her eyes. Reyna recoiled and tried to look away. “Do not move. Just stay right there.”

“It hurts,” Reyna began. She blinked a few times and stared down at the ground. “Everything has stopped spinning, as long as I don't move. I still feel sick.”

“Try to relax,” Scipio said. He handed her a canteen. Reyna took a small sip. The water didn't do much to help, but she was grateful for the gesture. Scipio took the canteen from her and gently poured it on her face. Reyna winced and felt two fingers touch her nose.

“I'm fine,” Reyna said. She tried to recoil, but Scipio didn't let her. He studied her and then popped her nose back into place. Reyna hissed and felt fresh blood trickle from her nose. Scipio quickly wiped her nose and held part of Reyna's shirt to her face.

“Do you have any siblings?” Scipio asked quietly. Reyna slowly met his eyes.

“I have an older sister,” Reyna said softly. “She's the queen of the Amazons. What about you?”

“I had a brother,” Scipio said. His eyes grew distant, and he stared at the ground. Reyna met his eyes. She tried to wrack her brain for a name, but her mind still felt like it had been left in the room with that woman. “But, we had a disagreement.”

“About what?” Reyna slowly asked. She placed a hand to her face and winced as fresh pain shot through her. Scipio looked at her and sighed softly. It was hard to read the look on his face or in his eyes. “Scipio?”

“We should get going,” Scipio said. He stood. Reyna stared at him, and he started to walk away. It took a moment for Reyna to make it to her feet. She kept her shirt pressed against her nose, and they slowly left the Roman base. Reyna wasn't quite sure when they had found their way back there. They kind of just appeared there.

Reyna was eighty percent sure that Scipio had quite literally dragged her back to the base. A soft sigh left Reyna, and she stared at the ground. Upon making it to Scipio's horse, the Roman looked at her. He mounted his horse and then offered a hand.

Reyna took Scipio's hand and was pulled onto the horse. The movement caused her head to hurt even worse, and she almost threw up. She placed a hand to the back of her mouth and tried to swallow her vomit back down.

“Are you okay?” Scipio asked. Reyna forced herself to nod. Scipio looked back at her in concern. Reyna just closed her eyes and tried to keep the world from spinning. “Reyna?”

“Fine,” Reyna muttered. She placed her hand back to her mouth. “Everything is just spinning.”

“Try to relax,” Scipio said softly. “This is almost over. We must focus on the task ahead of us.”

“How are we going to find the Butcher?” Reyna asked. She tried to keep herself sitting up straight, but she ended up resting her head on Scipio's back. His cold armor made her feel a little better.

“Leave it to me,” Scipio replied. Reyna tried to nod, but she was too tired to. A soft sigh left her, and her eyes drifted close. “Try to stay awake. Tell me of the demigods of your time. How powerful are they?”

“Depends on the parent,” Reyna said softly. “A friend, Percy, can control the sea. Another, Jason, can use lightning and even fly a little. More like float.”

Scipio made a noise of amusement. He spoke, “Demigods in my time are armies of their own. They can destroy mere men without breaking a sweat. Those of us that are closer to the gods have greater powers.”

“Closer to the gods how?” Reyna questioned. She wanted to open her eyes, but she was completely exhausted. Scipio reached back and grabbed her arm to steady her.

“It is hard to explain,” Scipio said. A soft sigh left him. “Just try to relax please. I need you to save your strength to bring the book across the barrier.”

“How?” Reyna slowly asked. She sighed painfully and closed her eyes tightly. Her hand gripped the saddle of the horse, and she felt even sicker. The world was spinning once again, and she almost fell off of the horse.

“Do I need to stop?” Scipio asked. The concern was clear in his voice. Reyna shook her head weakly. “Do you have medicine on you?”

“No,” Reyna replied. Most of her supplies had been lost between the Roman base being attacked and everything that had happened to her. She sighed and tried to lift her head, but she couldn't. A groan of pain left her.

“Relax,” Scipio whispered. “All we need to do is get the book and bring it back to the barrier. We are so close. I just need you to stay with me.”

“I know,” Reyna said. She felt herself slipping away and into unconsciousness. “How do we get through the barrier?”

“I believe that someone who entered from the outside must take the book through,” Scipio said. “Hopefully, that will collapse the barrier, and we will be free from this nightmare. I will be free. Finally.”

“You'll be free soon,” Reyna promised. She closed her eyes and relaxed against Scipio. When she opened her eyes again, she was laying on the ground. There was a bedroll beneath her. Reyna lifted her head and groaned in pain. Then, she rested her head back against the ground.

How long had she been asleep for? Her head felt better, but it still ached. She tried to sit up and was grateful to find that most of the spinning had stopped. Reyna's eyes moved around. Scipio had his back to her and was leaning against a tree.

Reyna slowly made it to her feet and walked forward. A soft sigh left her. Why had Thalia decided to use her face as a punching bag? Why did she want Reyna to take a dive? Was the woman who made the Sibylline Books actually there?

There was so many questions, and Reyna didn't have the answer to any of them. She also didn't have the brainpower to sort through any of it. All she could do was focus on what was ahead of her. Reyna made it to Scipio's side.

In front of them was a cave. Two men stood in front of it. They both held onto spears and shields. They also seemed to have on some kind of armor. Reyna spoke softly, “How did you find this place?”

“We got our answers from that man,” Scipio answered. He looked at her. “What do you remember?”

“Thalia and I were fighting. You were fighting Hannibal. And, I don't remember anything after that. Well, you mentioned a brother. There was a horse somewhere,” Reyna answered. Her eyes narrowed in confusion, and she tried to think.

“You took a hard hit to the head,” Scipio said. He examined her. “I want the two of us to sneak in and out, hopefully with the book.”

“Sneak in,” Reyna repeated. She wasn't sure how stealthy she felt. Scipio stared at the cave. Then, a frown came to his face, and he made a small motion. Reyna followed his gesture, and she frowned as well. “Thalia?”

Thalia was hiding in the shadows. It didn't seem like she noticed them, but she was staring at the men bear the entrance of the cave. Hannibal appeared next to her. Scipio grabbed Reyna and gently pulled her back.

“It seems like they are going to storm the base,” Scipio whispered. He knelt by the tree.

“What are we going to do?” Reyna asked quietly. Scipio studied the scene in front of him. He finally sighed and looked at her.

“The only thing that we need is the book,” Scipio whispered. He studied her. “You are in no shape to do any fighting, and we will be outnumbered. The man said that this is where the Butcher's base was, and it seems that Hannibal knows as well. The two sides will fight, and we will sneak in. We will find the book and escape.”

“What about Thalia?” Reyna asked. She rubbed her forehead and tried to keep herself focused. Scipio gripped her shoulder.

“After we have the book secured, we will find her. Until then, she must stay in the dark,” Scipio said. Reyna reluctantly nodded. “Come. We must move quickly.”


	21. The Butcher

Thalia stared at the cave in front of her. It didn't seem that special, but at the same time, she knew this was the end of the road. The book was here, and she was going to retrieve it. Then, she would find Reyna and drag the Roman across the barrier. They would bring the book to Artemis, and everything else would work out.

It felt like someone was watching Thalia. She slowly looked around the treeline. They were near the bottom of a hill, and the cave seemed to go inside that hill. Two armored men stood outside the cave entrance, and they were both looking around. Every single noise caused them to jump.

Hannibal stepped next to Thalia and glanced at her. She looked at him. He hadn't been the happiest person when they let him out of the cell. Hannibal didn't trust Halima, and could anyone blame him? The woman had kidnapped him and Thalia and even tortured Thalia.

Speaking of Halima, she was at the back of the line with Sibyl. The two seemed to be getting along, and they had spent the entire walk over discussing the wolf of Rome. Thalia was beyond sick of hearing about Lupa. She didn't care about the stupid beast. It wasn't like Lupa could cross the barrier anyway.

If Lupa was camped outside of the barrier, she had another thing coming if she thought that Thalia was simply just going to hand over the book. It would become a bargaining chip. Gods, Reyna was going to hate Thalia after this. Whatever reason that Reyna barely spoke to her now was going to be nothing compared to what Thalia did to make sure the book ended up with Artemis.

Thalia looked at Hannibal's rebels, but something still bothered her. There was something about the situation that felt wrong, like she was missing something obvious. Halima gently pushed past the men and slowly made it to Hannibal's side.

Halima said something to Hannibal that caused the general to look at Thalia. Then, he shook his head and turned away. Halima sighed and leaned on the tree. Her gaze focused on the ground. Thalia studied the two of them and then shook her head. She focused back on the cave.

A full on assault was the plan. Hannibal would take his men, and they would storm the base. Halima and Sibyl would stay back. They just couldn't risk keeping them at the rebel base. The two kept complaining that they could sense the wolf was nearby. Thalia was just sure that they were sensing that from Reyna. The praetor had been shoved into place by Lupa after all. But, the two women didn't want to be left alone.

While the assault was happening, Thalia would sneak through the chaos and find the book. The Butcher was a cornered rat, and she would find him. The book would be retrieved. It was all going to be perfect. Hannibal moved through the trees and started to make his way towards the cave, staying in shadows.

As Hannibal drew near, one of the guards turned in his direction. Hannibal sprang out and stabbed his sword into their throat. The other rushed forward, but a rebel appeared out of the shadows to intercept them. Hannibal held up four fingers and motioned to the cave entrance. Three rebels rushed towards it, and one followed behind holding onto a torch.

Thalia rose to her feet and checked over her weapons one last time. She would wait a minute and sneak inside. A branch snapped next to her, and she turned her head. Sibyl studied her for a long moment. Thalia spoke, “What?”

“It is happening,” Sibyl whispered. She blinked a few times and then shivered. “I saw it. Fire and blood. The wolf. Pain and suffering.”

“What did I say about riddles?” Thalia questioned. She rubbed her forehead. “I really don't have time to focus. I need to go.”

“An old god. One who is gone. He shines upon the one that fell,” Sibyl said. Thalia slowly looked at the woman. Part of her debated just strangling Sibyl then and there. That would solve the whole killing her thing, and it would also get those stupid riddles to stop. Gods, Thalia hated riddles.

“Great. Thanks,” Thalia said. She turned and walked towards the cave. Sibyl didn't call after her, thankfully. Thalia made it into the cave and sighed tiredly. She just needed to focus on finding the book. That book was all that mattered. The book and Reyna. Maybe. Thalia was still a little upset about a knee being driven into her stomach.

As Thalia made it into the cave, she already heard sounds of fighting. Voices yelled out orders, but Thalia didn't pay any attention. There was a small tunnel that led into a large cavern, and a few animal carcasses were spread around on the ground. Thalia grimaced.

Some of the rebels were fighting the Butcher's men. Thalia quickly slipped past them and looked at the two exits to the cavern. One seemed to go upwards, like it was another exit. The one went straight ahead. After a second of debate, she darted into the one that went ahead.

If she was an all powerful book, where would she be? Well, she knew that the book was in the hands of the Butcher, so if she was a stupid male, where would she be? Deep in the base or already fleeing. Assuming that one tunnel didn't go up and out, the Butcher was going to be hiding deep in the base.

Hiding behind all of his men like cowards. Thalia couldn't imagine it. She fought side by side with her fellow sisters, and she did not hide behind them. She would take an arrow for any of her fellow Hunters. The Butcher was nothing more than a coward.

Thalia made it further down the tunnel and flinched as she smelled dead animals. While she never really had a problem eating animals before, being in the Hunters of Artemis had given her a new appreciation for wildlife. All of them were sacred, and they had to be treated with respect. The Butcher just left bits and pieces of the corpses everywhere.

The tunnel came to another intersection, and a man rushed past. Thalia pressed herself against the wall, but the man didn't seem to notice her. She pushed herself off of the wall and darted the way the man had come. Poorly lit lanterns were on the cavern wall every ten feet. She almost tripped over rocks and things that she hoped were bigger rocks but felt hollow when her boots made contact.

A loud crash caught Thalia's attention. She stopped and listened. A man yelled, “I was told this book would give me great fortune! Who is attacking us?”

“We don't know sir! We have-”

A yell sounded throughout the cavern. It was followed by the sound of a neck snapping. Thalia grabbed her bow and carefully notched an arrow. She slowly moved towards the sound and stopped at the exit of the tunnel. The cavern in front of her was covered in torches. A very large man stood in the center of the cavern.

Thalia's time at Camp Half-Blood had shown her plenty of huge, muscular children of Ares, but the Butcher really just made them all look like barbie dolls. The cavern seemed to be about seven feet tall, and the Butcher's head almost brushed against the top of it. His biceps were bigger than Thalia's head.

The Butcher turned his head and looked right at Thalia. He sneered, showing off a mouth full of rotten teeth. His hair was falling out in clumps, and his brown eyes looked more like mud than anything. He spoke, “Who are you?”

Instead of answering, Thalia focused on the book in the Butcher's hands. She was a little disappointed. Thalia expected to see a grand leather bound book with a golden title written by the gods themselves. Instead, the book looked like a weird kind of paper, definitely not something they used in modern times. Annabeth had talked about this kind of paper before, and it wasn't really paper. It was like papyrus. Someone had sewn the papers together, and the words kind of looked like they were written with ink but more red. Oh, was that blood?

Thalia didn't waste anymore time. She fired her bow. The arrow hit the Butcher in his arm, and he gave her a disappointed look. Then, he rushed forward to meet her. Thalia ducked under his clubbing blow, and she tried to reach for the Sibylline Book. The Butcher threw the book across the room and reached out.

Thalia barely darted away from him. The only advantage she had was her speed, but she wasn't sure how long that would last her. The Butcher kept her in his line of sight and swung with his meaty hands every so often. Thalia was forced to dodge the blows.

The entire thing felt like Thalia was trying to wear the Butcher out, but she didn't think she would have time. The Butcher's men would check on them, or a rebel would find them and end up distracting Thalia. She barely dodged another blow, and the Butcher suddenly grabbed onto her. He slammed her to the ground.

A cry left Thalia, but she slashed with her hunting knife. The Butcher caught her wrist and squeezed it until she was forced to let go of the knife. It clattered to the ground. An attempt to reach out for it was futile.

“I will kill you,” the Butcher swore. He pinned her with a knee and grabbed her throat. He started to squeeze. Thalia tried to shove him away, but the man was much stronger and larger than her. His grip tightened. “You and all your rebel friends will die by my hand.”

Thalia stared up at the Butcher and tried to shove him away. Both of his hands were wrapped around her throat crushing it. She couldn't breath, and everything was getting blurry. Thalia wheezed and reached out desperately for the fallen knife, but she couldn't find it.

“Stupid bitch,” the Butcher said. Thalia dug her nails in his hands, but it did nothing. Her lungs screamed in agony. She hit at this hands, and the world became much darker. Something suddenly sprayed across Thalia's face, and the grip disappeared.

The pressure left Thalia's chest, and she quickly backed away. Thalia wheezed for breath and coughed miserably. She tried to wipe her eyes and saw the Butcher had a knife buried in his throat. He made a choking nose and grabbed the arm of his attacker. Reyna twisted the knife that was in his throat.

The Butcher grabbed Reyna by her shirt and tried to pick her up. Reyna tore the knife out of his throat and tried to stab him. His other hand caught her wrist, and he slammed her directly into the wall. Reyna hissed in pain and tried to fight him.

As much as Thalia wanted to help, she still needed to catch her breath. Both hands gripped her throat, and she barely managed to lift her head. Reyna slammed her knee into the Butcher's chest, but he picked her off of the ground with one hand.

The two struggled with the knife. Reyna grabbed onto the knife with both hands. It fell to the ground, and the Butcher slammed his knee into Reyna's stomach. He slammed her to the ground and punched her hard. Reyna's head snapped to the side, and the Butcher raised his fist again.

“Leave her alone,” Thalia snapped. She scrambled to her feet and tried to slam into the Butcher. Even with the strength of a demigod, the man didn't budge. He just shoved her backwards and stood. Thalia tried to stand, but a foot slammed into her chest. She hit the ground, and the Butcher stomped on her stomach, driving the wind out of her.

Reyna slammed into the Butcher. Thalia caught a glint of gold, and Reyna tore the knife through his stomach. She stabbed the knife into his eye, and he howled in pain. The knife was pulled out and stabbed into his throat for a final time. The Butcher collapsed to the ground, and his last breaths left him.

Reyna collapsed to the ground near the Butcher and groaned in pain. She placed two hands to her face. Thalia took the time to catch herself and regulate her breathing. Then, she sat up and looked at Reyna.

The praetor slowly made it into a sitting position and grabbed the Sibylline Book. Reyna stared at it. Thalia spoke, “Thanks for the save. I was going to find you after I got it.”

“Yeah,” Reyna muttered. She slowly got to her knees and stood. Her gaze focused on Thalia for a long moment. Then, her eyes moved to the knife.

“You really need to stop taking blows to the head,” Thalia commented. She stood and walked towards Reyna. “You're as bad as Jason at this point.”

“Thalia, I love you,” Reyna said. Thalia blinked and tried to process those words. What had Reyna just said? Before Thalia could take the time to realize what had just been said, Reyna grabbed her face and kissed her.


	22. Fronti Nulla Fides

Reyna knew that concussions could affect someone's judgment. Concussions also made it hard to think and could cause someone to act rashly. That was probably why she was kissing Thalia Grace. Why in Bellona's name was she kissing Thalia?

Part of Reyna understood her reasoning. Her first thought was that Thalia and her had almost died. There might not be another opportunity to tell Thalia how she felt. That was why she needed to tell Thalia about her feelings as soon as possible. Her final thought was that there was no time better than the present.

There was supposed to be thoughts in between. That would be where she questioned if telling Thalia about her feelings was a good idea or not and if she should go through with it. She would have talked herself out of it, and nothing would have happened. But, that part of her brain just didn't want to work.

Instead, Reyna just jumped the shark and kissed Thalia. After admitting that she loved her. Who did that? Who just admitted they loved someone and kissed them? This wasn't some stupid romance movie. It was never going to work.

Oh, Thalia was also not kissing her back. It could have been shock, or she might not have been into girls. Or Thalia didn't want to be kissed by someone she didn't know. Gods, what was happening? Why wasn't Thalia moving? How much time had passed?

Reyna forced herself back to reality, and she pulled away from Thalia. All Thalia did was stare at her. It became really hard to breathe, and Reyna felt terrible. Why had she done that? Why couldn't she just focus on the mission? She never had a problem with that before, until Thalia came into the picture.

Thalia continued to stare at Reyna. There was a confused look in her eyes like she was trying to figure out why Reyna had proclaimed her love and then kissed her. Reyna was still trying to figure that out as well. Thalia blinked once and opened her mouth.

Reyna stepped backward and felt someone behind her. She felt someone grab her shoulder, and a book was placed in her hand. No, the Sibylline Book was placed in her hands. Scipio spoke, "Go."

"Reyna?" Thalia asked. She looked shocked and betrayed. Reyna just stared at her. Someone, probably Scipio, pulled her backward. Reyna knew she should have stayed behind and explained everything to Thalia. Instead, she turned and fled from the room.

Step one: find the barrier. Step two: get through the barrier. Step three: bring the book back to Lupa. Step four: lock herself in New Rome and never step out again. Easy.

Now that Reyna was away from Thalia, she could breathe again. She could think now, but she still didn't feel any better. Reyna had made a huge mistake, but she didn't have time to go back and correct it. She had to push forward and return the book. Rena let out a shaky breath and looked around.

Sneaking into the cave had been easy enough. The rebels were busy fighting the Butcher's men, and none of them were able to stop her. She had split from Scipio, and they were going to meet outside. It seemed like her little detour of fighting the Butcher and kissing Thalia took longer than she thought.

Reyna turned a corner, and a shoulder slammed into her gut. She was slammed into the tunnel wall, and a fist flew at her head. Reyna barely ducked underneath it. She gripped the book and tried to slip away. Hannibal slammed her back into the wall.

"Why are you always interfering in my business?" Hannibal demanded. He grabbed Reyna by her neck and tried to lift her. Reyna spat in his face and kicked him in the groin. Hannibal dropped her.

"I'm going to take this book," Reyna snapped. She shoved Hannibal away and made it to the corner. A woman blocked her path. Reyna backed away. It was the same woman that had questioned her and Scipio about the wolf of Rome.

"Give me the book," the woman ordered. She pulled a dagger from out of nowhere. Reyna backed away, only to run into Hannibal. She looked between the two of them. "I will not ask again, Roman. Give me the book or else."

"You don't understand what is going on," Reyna snapped. "This place is trapped in time. The people here are trapped. I am going to bring this book to the barrier and end all of this. Don't try to stop me."

"We are not going to try. We will," Hannibal said. Reyna gripped her sword with one hand and the book with her other. She unsheathed her sword and slowly looked between the two of them.

"I don't want to hurt you two," Reyna began. She held the book close to her side. The woman didn't seem like she was that skilled at fighting, but Hannibal had already beaten her once before. The woman would only be a distraction.

"You and your friend are going to die," Hannibal promised. He stepped closer. "I know you and Thalia are working together. Halima told me."

"And, we made a deal for the book," Halima said. "Hannibal here wants to destroy the book, and who am I to stand in the way? I know it will hurt the wolf."

"You can't destroy the book," Reyna snapped. "Hannibal already tried to. Scipio thinks that is part of what caused all this. Just let me take the book to the barrier, and I can end all of this."

"How can we trust a Roman?" Hannibal snapped. "Romans have been a thorn in the side of Carthage for too long, and I have a chance to strike back. Why would I not take it?"

"Step back," Reyna ordered. Halima rushed towards her, and she slashed at the woman. Reyna suddenly whirled around and blocked an attack from Hannibal. She barely twisted away from Halima's dagger thrust. Hannibal shoved her backward.

Reyna barely caught her footing before Hannibal was attacking again. All she could do was focus on his attacks. Hannibal attacked relentlessly. It took all of Reyna's focus to keep her hold on the Sibylline Book and defend against Hannibal. She realized her mistake as pain exploded in her back.

The book slipped out of Reyna's grasp, and she quickly turned towards it. Hannibal slammed her into the wall, driving the dagger further into her back. Reyna yelled in pain, and her sword was twisted out of her grasp. Hannibal placed his sword to her throat.

"I will not underestimate you again," Hannibal promised. Reyna didn't answer. It felt like the dagger was buried somewhere in her shoulder. She watched as Halima picked up the book. An attempt to move caused Hannibal to draw a small amount of blood.

Reyna glared at Hannibal. Her goal was so close that she could touch it, but there was nothing to do. She was trapped. Reyna spoke, "You don't know what you're doing."

"None of us know what we're doing," Halima snapped. "This kind of event is unprecedented. The power and magic that went into creating this are divine. But, it is evil. I know what lurks around the corner."

"Care to enlighten us?" Reyna asked. She hissed as Hannibal dug the sword deeper into her throat. She pressed her head against the wall and swallowed painfully.

"Where is Scipio?" Hannibal questioned. Reyna remained silent. "Tell me, Roman. I can make your life much worse if you don't."

Reyna remained silent and gritted the teeth. She tried to keep her thoughts from the pain in her back. Hannibal moved the sword and then pressed his forearm against Reyna's throat. Reyna hissed as her oxygen was cut off.

"Tell me, Roman. This is your last chance," Hannibal hissed. Reyna remained silent, but she could feel herself starting to panic. Hannibal smiled coldly and put more pressure on her throat.

"With Thalia," Reyna choked out. Hannibal didn't move his arm. Reyna tried to shove him away, and when that didn't work, she tried scratching at his arm. Reyna kept struggling and fighting, but she could feel herself fading away.

"I want answers from the two of you," Hannibal hissed. "You two are going to tell me everything. And when I find Scipio, I will kill him."

Reyna continued to struggle, but she knew it was no use. There was no way for her to escape her predicament. Reyna felt the world slip away, and the last thing she saw was Halima cradling the book like it was some kind of prize.

* * *

Reyna groaned softly as her eyes drifted open. She blinked a few times and tried to lift her head. It took her a few moments to look at her surroundings. Her wrists were chains above her, and it seemed like the chains were wrapped around some kind of hook. The other hooks around her had dead animals on it and some people.

A string of curses left Reyna, and she tried to move. Pain tore through her back, right where she had been stabbed. Upon trying to move her shoulder, she realized the dagger hadn't been removed. Another curse left her. The back of her shirt felt wet, and a glance down showed the tip of the knife sticking through her shoulder.

"We can't get out," Thalia muttered. Reyna twisted enough to look at Thalia. The lieutenant was in a similar predicament. There were cuts and bruises all over her face. When they made eye contact, Thalia looked furious.

This was a little awkward. Reyna twisted back around and tried to ignore the fact that she had professed her love for Thalia, kissed her, and then ran away. Why couldn't Reyna just keep her mouth shut? This is why she didn't want to talk to Thalia. A love confession was exactly what she wanted to avoid.

"Are you just going to give me the silent treatment after the shit you pulled?" Thalia demanded.

"I didn't," Reyna began, and even though she wasn't looking at Thalia, she felt the glare intensify. Reyna needed to change the topic. They just needed to focus on escaping their situation. "What happened?"

"Don't act like you don't know," Thalia hissed. "You only said that to distract me long enough for Scipio to get in there.

"No," Reyna began. She forced herself to look back at Thalia. "That's not-"

"I'm not an idiot, Reyna. Before this, you hardly talked to me. You always found an excuse to step away when I'm near. Why would you suddenly have a crush on me during all of this?"  
Thalia demanded. She struggled with the chains that kept her trapped.

"I guess it would make sense though," Thalia continued. "I know you had a crush on Jason, and if you have a crush on me, that means you're bisexual. You like guys and girls, but neither of them likes you back. By having a crush on me, you actually have an excuse for when your feelings aren't returned."

Reyna stared at the ground and felt her face turning red, from either embarrassment or anger. She swallowed painfully. Thalia was pissed at her and was just being petty. She was just trying to get under Reyna's skin. Reyna had gone through enough the past few days, and she wasn't in the mood. She also didn't play those petty games; she went for the jugular.

"Yeah. I can't believe I have a crush on a coward," Reyna said, and she looked up at Thalia. All Thalia did was stare at her. "You sacrificed your life for your friends, but what happened after that? When you came back, you acted like a coward. You ran from the great prophecy."

"At the final hour, you realized that you weren't strong enough to make the correct decision. A true leader would have done what was right, what was necessary. Is that why you accepted to be the lieutenant for Artemis? You can hide behind the goddess when things start to go wrong," Reyna said. Thalia stared at her, and pure rage appeared in her eyes.

"You know that I don't like you back," Thalia said coldly. "It's not because I took a vow. It's not because I don't like girls. It's because you are just like the last person I had feelings for: a traitor."

"I'm not a traitor," Reyna snapped, and she found it hard to swallow. Thalia looked at her and just smirked. Reyna wasn't a traitor. It didn't matter what Thalia said. Reyna knew better.

Reyna heard the sounds of footsteps and slowly turned her head. Hannibal limped into the room, flanked by some of his rebels. There was blood splattered against his face and armor. Hannibal walked right towards Reyna.

"Tell me of the wolf of Rome," Hannibal ordered. Reyna remained silent. Hannibal studied her for a moment and then moved his gaze to her shoulder. "You can answer my question, or I will let you die of infection."

"It's Lupa," Thalia snapped. "I already told Halima that. The wolf of Rome is Lupa!"

"Lupa is the mother of Rome, not the wolf of Rome," Reyna said. She glared at Hannibal. "I don't know who you're talking about. Scipio was given a letter that warned him to beware of the fallen wolf of Rome. That's all I know about it."

Hannibal studied Reyna for a long moment. Then, he turned on Thalia. Hannibal spoke, "Halima told me everything. The two of you are going to the barrier with Halima and me. This is going to end, one way or another."

"What did you do to Scipio?" Reyna questioned. She glared at Hannibal and tried to straighten up, but her shoulder burned in pain. Hannibal studied her for a long moment. A small smirk came to his face.

"Scipio won't bother us anymore. If you two listen, I will let you live," Hannibal said. He looked in between the two of them. "If either of you disobeys me, I will kill you both."


	23. A Vague Warning

Thalia was, in a word, pissed. Oh, she was beyond pissed. Thalia wanted to strangle Reyna, and then Hannibal. Then, she would strangle Halima. And Sibyl. And Scipio. And whoever else would cross her path. Considering her arms were still tied above her head, the whole strangling thing would have to be put on hold.

Hannibal looked back and forth between her and Reyna. He then focused on Reyna and slowly unwrapped the chains from the hook. The praetor collapsed to her knees and yelled in pain. She cradled her arm and let out painful breaths.

Reyna's face was pale, and the front of her shirt had blood on it. When her back had been to Thalia, it was easy to see the blood that covered the back of her shirt. She needed medical attention, but Thalia sure as hell wasn't going to provide it.

"Stand," Hannibal ordered. Reyna slowly looked up at him, and she started to make it to her feet. Thalia looked down. How had this all gone wrong? Why had any of this happened?

After Reyna had kissed Thalia, all Thalia could do was just freeze. Her mind went blank, and she wasn't sure what to think. Thalia had never actually kissed another woman before, and it would have taken time to process her feelings. Instead, it was quickly revealed that Reyna was just trying to distract her.

What else would Reyna have said or done to keep the deception up? If Scipio hadn't found his way to them, what would have happened? An angry sigh left Thalia, and she tried to shift. The chains had almost no give to them, and she was helpless as she watched Hannibal pull Reyna to her feet.

Fighting Scipio had been difficult. The Roman fought with a style she had never seen before, not even from Jason. The older Romans in the Hunt, the ones from ancient Rome, didn't even fight like that. Thalia had almost been overwhelmed, but she had held her own. Then, Hannibal entered the picture.

The two worked together to subdue Scipio. They left a sword in his leg, but before Thalia could interrogate him, Hannibal slammed her into the wall. He told her that Halima showed him the truth, and she showed him how to end the nightmare.

Thalia wanted to work with Hannibal. She wanted to end this stupid nightmare as well. They could work together to make that happen, but Hannibal's stupid ego wasn't going to let that happen. He thought that he had to do everything by himself. Hannibal had dragged Thalia away from Scipio, leaving the Roman to bleed out. Thalia had tried to fight back, but Hannibal just slammed her into a wall and choked her into unconsciousness.

What was the deal with Halima anyway? She spoke to Thalia like she wanted to help her. Then, she turned around and helped Hannibal. There was something off about the woman, but Thalia couldn't tell what it was. One thing she did know was that Halima would betray whoever she had to if it meant getting what she wanted. Which Thalia assumed was the Sibylline Book.

Reyna yelled in pain, and Thalia snapped back to reality. She focused on Hannibal and Reyna. The praetor slid down the wall and wheezed for breath. Her hand moved to her shoulder, and she gripped it. Hannibal knelt by her.

"Get up and move," Hannibal ordered. He grabbed Reyna by her shirt and pulled her to her feet. Hannibal shoved Reyna towards the door, and two rebels grabbed her. They dragged the praetor out. Hannibal turned on Thalia.

"I'm not scared of you," Thalia snapped. Hannibal walked towards her and didn't say a word. Thalia lifted her chin. "What is your plan here?"

"To end this," Hannibal said softly. He started to undo the chains that kept her trapped.

"You'll die," Thalia stated. "You already died, and the only thing left of you is this thing in front of me. The world you know is gone. Why are you so willing to give that up?"

"Because she showed me," Hannibal whispered. He met Thalia's eyes. "Halima showed me that this is all a trap. A trick. I am not here. None of us are, yet we all are. This is unnatural and evil."

"Halima said that this was created to keep something trapped in it," Hannibal continued. "I don't understand it, and I never will. I do understand that I must help her."

Hannibal finished undoing the chain, and he shoved Thalia to the ground. There were still chains connected to Thalia's wrists, but that wasn't going to stop her. She was still pissed at Reyna and this entire situation. That anger was going to help her escape.

Thalia's plan to escape was stopped as a foot slammed into her gut. She wheezed in pain and tried to roll onto her back. Hannibal pinned her to the ground and spoke, "If you fight me, I will hurt your friend."

"You can hurt her all you want. She's not my friend," Thalia hissed.

"I know the truth. You two came here together. You have been playing both sides so that you can get the book no matter what. I am going to foil those plans," Hannibal said. "Now drop the act."

"It is not an act," Thalia snapped. "Will you just listen to me? I don't care about Reyna. She just wants to help Scipio. I just want to get out of this stupid place!"

Hannibal remained silent. He pulled Thalia up and lead her out of the room. Thalia didn't fight him too much. There was no reason to fight until they were close to the exit. It would be easier to break away from Hannibal and flee. It didn't matter if that meant leaving Reyna behind. Who cared what happened to the praetor?

As they walked, Thalia tried to think about how she was going to escape. There wasn't much that she could do without the book, but she would figure it out. That was Thalia's specialty, being stuck in an unknown situation and just having to make it up as she went. Easy.

Thalia focused on the ground, and they stepped outside. It took her a moment to look up. Two rebels were dragging Reyna, and the praetor looked like she was about to pass out. There seemed to be fresh blood on her shirt. A small frown came to Thalia's face.

Thalia didn't care what happened to Reyna, but a small part would feel terrible if Reyna just bled out. A sigh left Thalia, and she spoke, "Let me help her."

"No," Hannibal said, and he shoved Thalia forward. Thalia stumbled, and she turned on Hannibal.

"You have us dead to rights. Between your rebels, the chains, and our injuries, we're not going to escape. Just let me help her," Thalia said. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Halima walking towards them.

"The Roman can bleed out for all I care," Hannibal said. Thalia glared, but she watched as Halima stepped towards Hannibal and spoke softly in his ear. Hannibal frowned. "Fine. Take care of her."

"What changed your mind?" Thalia questioned. Hannibal didn't answer. "You need us, don't you? That's why you captured us instead of killing us. You need Reyna and me to end this. What if I don't want to play your little game?"

"You will," Hannibal promised. Thalia looked at him and then smirked. Hannibal punched her in the temple. Thalia stumbled backward and fell to her knees. When she looked up, Hannibal's foot slammed right into her temple, and everything went dark.

* * *

Thalia's eyes snapped open, and she quickly looked around. There was nothing around her, other than some kind of fog. Thalia slowly reached her hand out and ran it through the fog. She let out a shaky breath ad slowly got to her feet.

"Thalia," a voice said. Thalia jumped and turned around. Through the fog, she could see two figures. One of them looked like they were trying to move towards her, but the fog acted like water, keeping their movements slowed. The other just stood in place, and their head lolled forward like they were sleeping. "Thalia?"

"I'm here," Thalia answered, but her voice sounded quiet. She cleared her throat and spoke louder. "I'm here!"

"Thalia!" the voice called. The figure stepped a little closer, and Thalia recognized Artemis. "Thank Zeus, I have been trying for hours."

Artemis said something else, but it was too quiet to catch. Thalia spoke louder, "What? I can't hear you?"

"It's the magic," Artemis said, barely loud enough for Thalia to hear. "Contact with the outside world isn't suppose to be made."

"Why not?" Thalia yelled. Hopefully, that was loud enough to be heard. Artemis looked around the fog. They made eye contact for a brief moment, but it was like Artemis could not see her. "What is so special about this place?"

"Created long ago," Artemis practically yelled. Thalia frowned. She knew this whole barrier was created long ago. The goddess wasn't being helpful. Like always. "Be careful!"

"We are way past that point!" Thalia yelled back. "Completely and utterly past that point. Do you have anything useful to tell me, or am I going to get another riddle?"

Artemis didn't answer. Thalia swallowed painfully and tried to calm herself down. She was pissed at everyone for everything that had happened, and she felt something that she could identify. Used? Embarrassed?

It was just something about what Reyna had done, but Thalia couldn't pinpoint what it was. Just being told that someone loved her was shocking enough. But, it was shown just to be a trick. Reyna didn't have a crush on Thalia. She just decided to say that to surprise Thalia and keep her from taking the book.

Why would Reyna work with Scipio over Thalia? Did she really hate Thalia that much? An angry sigh left the daughter of Zeus. She was going to strangle Reyna when she saw her next, if they survived.

"Thalia. Can you hear me?" Artemis yelled. Thalia snapped out of her thoughts and looked back at the goddess. Artemis was looking around, but the fog obscured her expression.

"I can," Thalia yelled at the top of her lungs. She tried to move closer, but she couldn't move at all. "What is going on?"

"It is all a trap!" Artemis yelled. She looked around desperately and yelled more. The words were too jumbled together to make out.

"What kind of trap?" Thalia yelled. She saw the fog around her starting to move closer,  
and she tensed. It felt solid against her legs. Everything was getting harder to see.

"She knew!" Artemis yelled. Thalia could barely hear her.

"Who knew?" Thalia yelled. "Reyna? Halima? Sibyl? Who?"

"Beware Rome's oldest enemy!" Artemis warned.

"Rome has literally a thousand enemies. Who am I suppose to be aware of?" Thalia demanded. She could feel a giant headache forming.

"Beware!" Artemis warned. Thalia felt the fog growing much thicker, and she couldn't see through it. Trying to raise her hand didn't work. This dream or whatever it was looked like it was about to end. "Rem-"


	24. Acta Est Fabula Plaudite

Reyna's eyes slowly drifted open, and she focused on the ground in front of her. She was pretty sure that she had passed out from pain or exhaustion. Or both. A groan left her as she shifted. The pain in her shoulder brought tears to her eyes, and she blinked rapidly.

They seemed to be in some kind of small clearing. Three rebels were twenty feet across from her, and they were watching her. Thalia was curled up near Reyna, and she seemed peaceful. There was some drool coming from her mouth, and she looked kind of cute.

Reyna sighed in pain and laid her head back. Pain pulsated throughout her body, and she slowly placed a hand to her shoulder. The tip of a dagger was still sticking out of it, and she hadn't even attempted to remove the dagger. All she could do was suffer silently.

Hannibal was watching her closely. He was standing next to Halima. The two kept talking quietly, and if Reyna made eye contact, the two just smiled. Reyna knew they had evil plans for her and Thalia, but she didn't care. All she cared about now was removing the stupid dagger from her back.

A soft groan escaped Thalia, and she slowly opened her eyes. Reyna looked away and stared at the ground. Her hand slowly moved to her shoulder, and she groaned in pain. After a moment, another hand grabbed her arm. Reyna slowly looked at Thalia.

"It looks like it's going to get infected," Thalia noted. Reyna didn't answer. Thalia studied her and sat up. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and then looked around. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Reyna muttered. Thalia huffed in annoyance. "I was unconscious. Hannibal slammed me into the wall, and I passed out from pain sometime after that. I'm not sure what happened to you."

"Hannibal kicked me in the face," Thalia muttered. She looked at the chains around her wrist. Reyna glanced down at her chains. Considering she couldn't move without terrible pain, there was no way of getting out of the chains.

Reyna tensed as Hannibal walked towards them. Halima followed behind. After studying them for a moment, Halima threw a bag down near them. Hannibal spoke, "You have ten minutes to deal with the wound. Then, we start to move until we reach the barrier."

"It might take longer than that," Thalia muttered She carefully opened the bag and pulled out the medical supplies. Reyna focused on the first aid kit. Thalia grabbed it and moved behind Reyna's back. Reyna felt her sleeve being cut away.

"This is going to hurt," Thalia muttered. She pulled the dagger out of Reyna's shoulder. Reyna bit her hand to keep from yelling, and fresh tears came to her eyes. A canteen opened, and water was poured on her shoulder. A whimper escaped Reyna as Thalia started to clean her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Reyna hissed. A few curses left her, and she tensed completely.

"Just try to relax and make this easier," Thalia said. "Besides, you should be in more pain after the shit that you did."

Reyna tried to speak, but Thalia dug the rag into her shoulder wound. A yell escaped Reyna, and she tensed even more. Thalia spoke, "You told me that you loved me, and you kissed me. It was all a trick!"

"Thalia," Reyna hissed. Her voice went out as Thalia dug the rag deeper.

"Sorry. I just want to make sure it's clean," Thalia said, but she didn't sound sorry at all. "It looks like it is extremely painful."

"I do have feelings for you," Reyna whimpered. The rag disappeared for a moment before it dug back in her shoulder. "Stop! I'm not lying!"

"Did you magically get these feelings for me?" Thalia demanded. "You never talk to me! I can hardly get three words out of you! You only said that to distract me from taking the book."

"I didn't talk to you because I was afraid that I would say something like that," Reyna hissed. She bit her finger hard enough to draw blood. "I get so tongue-tied around you because I'm worried that I'll ruin our friendship."

"You thought we were friends?" Thalia asked softly The rag was removed from Reyna's shoulder, and she let out a groan of pain. Of course, she read the situation wrong. Thalia never thought they were friends. Why was Reyna such an idiot?

"I thought you didn't like me at all," Thalia whispered. She put the rag back to Reyna's shoulder, but it was much more gentle this time. Reyna let out a shaky breath and rested her head in her hand. "Reyna, did you mean what you said to me?"

"It wasn't a trick," Reyna muttered. She slowly looked up and looked back at Thalia. Their eyes met. "I meant every word, Thalia. Maybe, it's not love, but I do like you. I've had a crush on you for months. I wasn't thinking when I confessed. I just saw that the Butcher had almost killed us, and I thought we could die at any moment."

"The words just kind of slipped out, and I kissed you," Reyna whispered. She looked forward and swallowed painfully. Her face felt beet red, and she stared at the ground. "None of it was a trick. I didn't know Scipio was there, and when he told me to go, I panicked and ran. I'm an idiot."

Thalia remained silent. She cleaned Reyna's shoulder, but her movements were much more gentle. Reyna bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making any more noises of pain. Thalia bandaged the back of her shoulder and then moved in front of her.

Reyna didn't meet Thalia's eyes. She just stared at the ground and swallowed painfully. Thalia cleaned her shoulder and then bandaged the front of her shoulder. She bandaged around Reyna's shoulder and spoke, "Don't move your shoulder too much. This is only temporary to keep you from bleeding out. You're going to need a doctor after this. A real one."

"Thanks," Reyna whispered. Thalia stood and turned towards Hannibal. "Thalia. Wait."

"Yeah?" Thalia asked. She turned back around. Reyna slowly looked up and met Thalia's eyes. The words died in her mouth

"I don't have any supplies or weapons," Reyna whispered. Thalia knelt by her.

"I can summon my bow, but I don't have any arrows. I have a few vials of a homemade type of flashbang. We could scare the horses," Thalia whispered.

"Away," Reyna muttered. She looked down. "Or, we could take them."

"The only thing that matters is getting the book out of here and ending this," Thalia whispered. Reyna nodded her agreement. "Just don't do anything stupid with how bad your shoulder is messed up."

"Thalia, are we okay?" Reyna asked suddenly. Thalia studied her for a moment and remained silent. Then, she sighed.

"I'm not as pissed at you anymore, but I need time," Thalia said. "You know I can't return your feelings right? For many reasons."

"I know," Reyna said, and she looked down. She knew this would happen. If she put herself out there, she would just get rejected. It was always like that. Why did she think this would go any differently?

"Reyna. Look," Thalia began, but before she could continue, Hannibal grabbed her and threw her backward. Two rebels pulled Reyna to her feet. She hissed as she was dragged towards the horse. The chains were attached to the saddle of the horse. A pained noise left her as her shoulder was jolted.

A glance to her side showed that Thalia's chains were attached to the other horse. They had just enough room to walk a few feet behind the horse, but that didn't make her feel much better. Hannibal helped Halima climbed onto the horse that Thalia was chained to. He then moved towards Reyna.

Reyna glanced at Thalia. It took a moment for the lieutenant to look at her. Reyna mouthed the word now. This idea was really crazy and dumb. As they made eye contact, Reyna looked back at the saddle. Thalia raised an eyebrow, but she nodded.

Reyna moved closer to the horse and grabbed onto the saddle with both hands. Hannibal looked at her. Instead of mounting the saddle, he just studied her. Reyna spoke, "Don't do this. You don't understand."

"I understand enough," Hannibal said. Reyna glanced at Thalia and nodded. Then, she slammed right into Hannibal, knocking him backward. Thalia pulled herself onto the saddle of the horse in front of her, and she pulled a small vial out of her pocket. She unscrewed it and threw it to the ground.

Reyna looked away as the vial exploded, and there was a loud noise like a scream. She tensed and tried to pull herself up onto the saddle. Pain exploded in her shoulder, and she collapsed to her knees. There was no way to pull herself onto the horse. She thought she would have enough strength.

Reyna saw two rebels rushing to the horse that Thalia had jumped on, but the horse was panicked. It reared and took off. Halima grabbed the reins to stop it or calm it, but Thalia slammed a knee into her back. The horse took off and quickly disappeared. Rebels chased after it.

Another rebel grabbed onto the horse that Reyna was chained to. She stayed on her knees and didn't try to move. Hannibal turned on her, and fury appeared in his eyes. He grabbed her and pulled her to a standing position.

"Do you think this is some kind of game?" Hannibal demanded. Reyna stared at where the horse had gone. Thalia would be able to handle Halima, and she would get the book to safety. That was all that mattered.

"I am doing what I must," Reyna answered. She met Hannibal's eyes. "The book is leaving this place and ending this charade."

"It will be the end of you too," Hannibal swore, and he grabbed his sword. Reyna tried to move away, but she was shoved backward. The chain caught her, and pain tore through her shoulder. Hannibal pressed his sword against his chest and muttered something that sounded like a prayer under his breath. Reyna tensed as the sword started to cut into her chest.

A low growl cut through the clearing. Hannibal tensed, and he slowly turned around. He took a step backward and raised the sword. Reyna collapsed against the horse and heard a much louder growl. The horse neighed loudly and looked panicked.

A blur passed through the trees and slammed into one of the rebels. A scream escaped the rebel, but all Reyna could do was stare. The blur was a beast the size of a small elephant. The beast tore out the throat of the rebel, and it turned on them.

The chain that connected Reyna to the horse was cut, and Hannibal shoved Reyna towards the beast. Reyna collapsed to her knees and cradled her shoulder. A shaky breath left her as the beast turned on her and slowly limped towards her. The other rebels looked like they were caught in between getting ready to attack or flee.

Reyna tried to stand, but she couldn't. All she could do was grip her shoulder and hate Hannibal for being a coward that offered her up as bait. She looked into the dark eyes of the beast, and she realized it was a wolf. It had black fur, and red, like blood, covered its right leg.

"The wolf of Rome," Hannibal whispered. He mounted his horse and tried to flee. The wolf jumped over Reyna and slammed into Hannibal. Screams filled the clearing, but Reyna didn't dare to look back. She watched the rebels flee.

Reyna gently placed a hand to the ground and turned. She watched the wolf tear out Hannibal's throat. The Carthaginian general reached out for her, but all she could do was stare. Hannibal's hand fell to the ground, and he didn't move again. The wolf turned towards Reyna.

Reyna grabbed a fallen sword and made it to her feet. She stumbled backward and held the sword in front of her. The wolf's fur started to retract back, and it started to shrink. Reyna blinked and lowered the sword. She watched the wolf transform back into a human.

"Scipio?" Reyna slowly asked. She dropped the sword and stared at the Roman. Scipio studied her for a few moments. He slowly wiped some of the blood from his mouth, but his face was still covered in it. "You're the wolf of Rome."

"They always called me the wolf of Rome, but I am not," Scipio said. He looked down at Hannibal. "Not of Rome."

"I don't understand," Reyna began. Scipio wore nothing, but he looked normal. There was no extra hair or fur anywhere. There was a bloody wound at the bottom of his leg. "How?"

"It is a long story," Scipio said. He studied her. "Where is the book?"

"Not here," Reyna answered after a moment. Scipio nodded and looked down at Hannibal. He sighed and took a deep breath. "What is going on Scipio? How is this possible?"

"I like you, Reyna. You're strong and loyal, but I made a vow," Scipio whispered. He turned on her. Reyna grabbed the sword again and stood. She lifted it and backed away. "I'm sorry, Reyna."

Scipio snapped his fingers. Then, he just stood there. A small frown came to Reyna's face. She had expected Scipio to transform and attack her. Instead, he just stood there. Reyna kept the sword lifted, and she wiped some sweat from her brow.

Why was she so hot? Had her shoulder gotten infected a lot more quickly than she thought it would? Reyna felt wrong though. Scipio reached down and tore Hannibal's cloak off. He wrapped it around himself.

"What are you sorry for?" Reyna finally asked. She felt herself getting hotter, and she awkwardly pulled at the collar of her shirt. A small smile came to Scipio's face.

"Rome was responsible for the downfallen of many things: other empires, religions, and other gods. Some of those gods did not rest easily. They wanted revenge," Scipio said. "All of them looked for champions. Increments of their powers were left behind."

"Do you remember Helios? He was worshiped and revered by the Greeks, but the Romans did not worship him. They lumped his responsibilities together with Apollo, and the god began to fade from the world. Before he faded, he left his power in artifacts and weapons for his champions to find."

Scipio reached a hand towards his neck, and his hands wrapped around the air. He pulled something away from his neck, and a necklace appeared in his hand. A sun was hanging from the gold chain. Reyna spoke, "You're a champion for Helios?"

"Something like that," Scipio answered. Reyna stumbled backward and felt herself sweating more. Pain started at her core and began to spread through her body. The sword slowly fell from her hand. Scipio smiled coldly. "I don't plan on killing you, but I will disable you."

"Disable?" Reyna asked. She hissed as the pain got worse. It came from all over, and she wasn't sure how to stop it. Reyna fell to her knees. "What are you doing?"

"I had a brother," Scipio said. He walked towards Reyna and knelt in front of her. "Well, a twin. Then he killed me. He planted his flag in my corpse, creating the beginning of Rome. I swore that day that I would tear Rome down. Brick. By. Brick."

"Rome is a poison, and how do you purify poison?" Scipio asked. Reyna just stared at him. Her mind was racing at what Scipio had said, but it was too much to process. Scipio grabbed her jaw and forced her to look up. "You burn it, Reyna. And, the blood of Rome runs through you. I'm sorry. I must purify your blood."

"Wait," Reyna wheezed. The pain was getting much worse. Scipio smiled coldly. Then, he snapped his fingers. The pain became overwhelming, and a yell left her. "Stop!"

"I am sorry, Reyna. Do not fret. You will not die, but this will hurt," Scipio whispered. Reyna slowly looked up at him. He shoved her to the ground. "Thalia Grace will come back for you, and I am sure she has the book. Then, the three of us will have a nice, long chat, and I will finally be free."


	25. And All the Men Merely Players

"You're crazy!" Halima yelled as she tightly gripped the horse' reins. Thalia wasn't exactly going to argue. This was a crazy idea, and it was the best one they had. Gods, Percy would be proud. Annabeth would be yelling at her. "What is your plan?"

"To steal the horse," Thalia yelled back. She was barely balancing herself on the back of the horse. Her chains were hooked to the horse' saddle, and Thalia couldn't free herself. Halima was too busy trying to control the horse to help or hinder Thalia. "Don't have an idea from there. Try not to crash! I would hate if the horse got hurt!"

"The horse?" Halima demanded. "You care if the horse gets hurt?"

"I sure as Hades don't care if you get hurt," Thalia answered, and she watched Halima. "Do you know how to control a horse?"

"No!" Halima screeched. Thalia sighed and continued to mess with the chains. The horse was avoiding all of the trees. The flashbang had scared it badly, and Thalia doubted it would slow down, which meant they might have to jump off.

"Then cut these chains," Thalia ordered. Halima looked back and studied her. She finally grabbed her dagger and cut at the chains. Thalia caught Halima's hands and disarmed her. She pulled the woman closer. "Sorry."

Thalia's eyes focused on Halima's backpack, and she grabbed the strap, cutting it with the dagger. As soon as Thalia had the backpack secured, she shoved Halima off of the horse. The woman yelled as she hit the ground, but it didn't matter. Whatever happened to her didn't matter. All that mattered was the backpack. Thalia opened it and studied the book that was inside.

Thalia's eyes focused on the Sibylline Book. How could all of this chaos happen because of one stupid book? It only seemed to have a hundred pages. This entire stupid situation was for a gods forsaken book. Part of her wanted to just fling it off of the horse. Instead, she zipped the backpack up and slung it over her shoulder.

All she needed to do now was head back, handle Hannibal, and then leave this place with Reyna. While it was true that Thalia needed time to work out what had happened, she would just focus on getting out of this place first. Reyna and she had unknowingly entered this together, and they would get out of it together.

Thalia grabbed the reins and maneuvered the horse around, back towards the clearing. A soft sigh left her. She had expected Reyna to follow behind on another horse, but it made sense that Hannibal would have stopped her. Thalia just hoped the Roman wasn't hurt too badly.

Her attention moved to the chains around her wrist. She used the dagger to unlock the chains. As they fell, she strapped the dagger to her boot and aligned herself on the horse's saddle. She gently caressed the horse and tried to calm it down.

As they made it closer to the clearing, Thalia had managed to calm the horse enough that it stopped. She dismounted the horse and whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't want to harm you. Just go free."

The horse watched her for a moment and then turned away. It trotted off. Thalia closed her eyes and listened for any noises, but it was quiet. It was too quiet. Thalia ducked behind a tree and heard a familiar cry of pain.

Thalia pushed her way into the clearing and quickly looked at all of the carnage. Hannibal was laying on the ground covered in blood. Closer examination showed that this throat had been ripped out. Thalia's eyes moved to the other two people in the clearing.

Scipio was looking right at her. He had a cloak wrapped around his body, and he seemed to be wearing nothing underneath. Blood covered his face, and there was a sadistic grin settled on his lips. Reyna was laying on her back and staring up at Scipio. She turned on her side and slowly tried to get up. Instead, she collapsed back to the ground.

"It only gets worse from here," Scipio promised. His eyes flickered up. "Thalia Grace. Do join us."

"What are you doing?" Thalia demanded. She slowly walked towards them. Scipio made no motions. He didn't get into a defensive position. All he did was study Reyna. "What are you doing to her?"

"Thalia. Don't," Reyna wheezed. She tried to get up again but just collapsed onto her face. Scipio sighed sadly and looked at Thalia.

"I won't kill the Roman, and I won't kill you, as long as you comply," Scipio said. Thalia stepped backward and placed a hand to the backpack strap. She almost felt the book calling to Scipio. "Where is the book?"

"I don't have it. Halima does," Thalia answered. Scipio laughed and snapped his fingers. Another cry of pain left Reyna. "What are you doing?"

"I know the book is in your bag. I gave you the chance to just give it to me. Instead, you continue to play," Scipio said. "Show me the book. Now."

Thalia slowly slung the backpack off of her back. She opened it and grabbed onto the book. A feeling of power ran through Thalia, and she wanted nothing more than to read the book. Instead, she held it out so Scipio could see. The Roman studied it.

"My brother read from the book," Scipio said. He walked forward, and Thalia stepped backward. A small smile came to Scipio's face. His eyes moved to the side. Thalia glanced over at Reyna. The praetor was sweating profusely, and she looked like she was in terrible pain.

"Well, he was my twin. That doesn't matter though. You see, he learned that one of us had the power to create, and the other had the power to destroy. That is why he struck me down, and as I laid there dying, he told me what the book said," Scipio said. "He told me that he had the ability, the power, the divine right, to build an empire."

"I had the curse of destruction. I destroyed whatever I touched," Scipio continued. A soft sigh left him. "I never understood what he meant until I met a god. He gave me a blessing and told me how I could use my power. All I had to do was cut off the lifeline."

"But, I am getting ahead of myself," Scipio said. Thalia glared at him and slowly moved towards Hannibal's body. Her eyes focused on the sword on the ground. "I wouldn't do that, Thalia Grace. I hold Reyna's life in my hands, and while I like her, I will not let those feeling stop me."

"What are you doing to her?" Thalia demanded. Her attention moved to Reyna. The praetor wasn't moving much and was starting to curl up.

"Using my powers of destruction," Scipio replied. Thalia glared at him. "Do you know what happens when we die?"

"Why don't you stand there, and we'll find out," Thalia said. Scipio chuckled and snapped his fingers. A yell left Reyna, and she curled up more. "Wait! Stop."

"I asked you a question," Scipio said. "What happens when we die?"

"You go to the Underworld. You will probably rot in Tartarus while heroes go on to Elysium," Thalia said. "Just stop!"

"And of rebirth?" Scipio questioned. "What do you know of it?"

"I don't know," Thalia began. She glanced back at Reyna, and the pain on the praetor's face broke her heart. "You go and get reborn. I don't know! Why are you asking me?"

"Reyna told me that they dip you in the River Lethe. You lose your memory," Scipio said.

"That sounds right. Then, you try to live two more good lives and get the greatest of afterlives. Did you do all of this for a stupid philosophical question?" Thalia demanded.

"If the River Lethe takes your memory when you are reborn, why do I remember my old life?" Scipio asked. Thalia frowned and studied the Roman. "Why do I remember my twin brother, Romulus, driving his sword through my heart? Why do I remember mother Lupa? Why do I remember a life that is not my own."

"So, you're not Scipio?" Thalia questioned. She slowly moved closer to the sword.

"I am, in this life. My life before I was the twin brother of Romulus. I lived my life and died. Then, I have memories of being a young boy in Rome named Publius Cornelius Scipio. I was born in a family of Romans, and I remembered that Remus's dying words, my dying words, was a vow to destroy everything that Romulus created."

"I had dreams of a fading god. He led me to this item," Scipio said, and he raised a necklace. The symbol of a sun rested on a gold chain. "He taught me how to use my powers of destruction. He taught me how to cut off the lifeline of Rome. But, what is the lifeline? What keeps the heart of Rome beating?"

"The people," Scipio answered before Thalia could even debate what kind of response she was going to give. "And, what keeps the heart of the people beating? Their blood. The blood that runs through Reyna's veins is almost the same as mine, but it is corrupt. I must burn out the corruption and snuff out the lifeline."

Scipio gripped the necklace, and a yell left Reyna. She tensed and started to cough out blood. Thalia glanced down at the sword near her. Instead of grabbing it, she ran to the praetor's side. Reyna coughed out more blood and wheezed for breath.

Thalia stared at the blood. It almost seemed to be boiling. She glanced back at Reyna. Blood was trickling from Reyna's nose, and tears of blood slipped down her face. That blood seemed to be boiling as well. Thalia looked at Scipio and glared at him. She rushed towards the sword and grabbed it. Scipio didn't move an inch.

"I've practiced this a few times. Mostly on Romans who fled in battle or disappointed me," Scipio said. "One time, this poor guy started to cough out blood and bleed from his nose. Just like Reyna is. Then, he swelled up like a balloon and got all these nasty splotches everywhere. It was really brutal stuff."

"I think it took a heart attack to finally put him down. Reyna is nowhere near his size, so I imagine it won't take as long for her heart to give out. I do know how to draw it out though," Scipio taunted.

"Fine! Stop! I'll give you the book," Thalia snapped. She opened the backpack and threw the book towards Scipio. "Just stop this and leave her alone."

"Oh, you misunderstand Thalia. This barrier, this trap, was created  
not to save the book. No. That is just a coincidence. See, I was trapped here by the same goddess who claimed to love my first life. The mother of Rome created this. But, I don't think she knows that I remember my past," Scipio whispered.

"We are going to the barrier. Help Reyna walk," Scipio ordered. Thalia glared at him. She wanted to snap at him that there was no helping Reyna walk. The praetor wouldn't be able to stand, let alone go anywhere. "Now."

"Stop this," Thalia began. Scipio raised the necklace. "Fine! Just give me a minute."

Thalia walked towards Reyna and knelt by her. Reyna's eyes were drifting open and close. Blood was still trickling from her nose, mouth, and eyes. Thalia grabbed Reyna's arm and pulled the praetor to her feet.

Reyna collapsed against Thalia, completely dead weight. Thalia gritted her teeth and dragged the praetor forward. She then picked Reyna up. Scipio grabbed the backpack and allowed the necklace to dangle in his hands like some kind of cruel reminder of what he could do.

Even through her shirt, Thalia could tell that Reyna was burning up. She didn't know what kind of damage was being done to Reyna, but it worried her. Thalia spoke softly, "Reyna, you have to stay with me. We're going to figure this out. I promise."

"Will you stop being so sappy?" Scipio asked. "The two of you will make it out alive, as long as you listen to me. Is that understood?"

Thalia didn't answer. She just continued to walk. Her mind was racing through the knowledge she had been given. Scipio was Remus, and Remus wanted revenge on the Romans. Of course, he did. Who didn't want revenge on Rome? How did one stupid city manage to piss everyone off?

Thalia ran through what she knew. Scipio was Remus in a former life, but when he went for rebirth, he kept his memories. Those memories and that vow to destroy Romulus' legacy was probably why Rome's propaganda never got hold of him. He then received a dream from a god that led him to a weapon. Oh, and this entire thing was created to keep him trapped and not the book.

Thalia shook her head and focused on the ground. All she could do now was stand back and wait for an opportunity to get away. This was officially above her nonexistent pay grade. Thalia glanced back at Scipio, but he was staring straight ahead. He seemed relaxed, and there was a small smile on his face.

"What is your plan after this?" Thalia asked.

"I don't know," Scipio answered. "I just want to be free. Rome has taken so much from me. Has Rome ever taken anything from you?"

Thalia didn't answer. Scipio stopped walking and looked at her. A look of understanding came to his face. Thalia looked away, and the two started to walk again. Thalia glanced down at Reyna, but it looked like Reyna had thankfully passed out.

"I just want to be free, away from this nightmare. I need to make sense of everything," Scipio said softly. "As Remus, Lupa cared for me and loved me. She treated my brother and I like her own children. She raised us. As Scipio, she watched over me. I saw her in my campaigns. Yet, I remember her the night before I was trapped in this place. How can someone who loves me do this? How could they trap me?"

"Lupa doesn't care for you. She only cared for what you could for Rome," Thalia said. She glanced at him and shook her head. "As Remus, you helped your brother fulfill his so-called destiny. As Scipio, you helped destroy Carthage. You ran out of usefulness after that. Lupa no longer cares about you."

Scipio nodded and remained silent. He stared ahead. Thalia fell silent as well, and the two of them walked. After a few minutes, Scipio raised his hand. He gently reached a hand out, and a frown came to his hand. Then, he grabbed the Sibylline Book and slowly pushed it forward. It came to a sudden stop like it was hitting a barrier.

"I can see it," Scipio whispered. Thalia slowly reached her hand out, and she felt her hand hit a small amount of resistance before it passed through. She didn't see anything different though. "Did they tell you how to leave?"

"No. I just assumed you crossed back through the barrier normally." Thalia muttered. Scipio stepped away and studied the barrier. He looked at her.

"You have five minutes to figure this out," Scipio said. Thalia glared and slowly laid Reyna down. She wiped some of the blood from her face. Scipio was busy studying the barrier. Thalia reached out for the dagger on her leg. Then, she turned and lunged at Scipio.


	26. Veritatem Dies Aperit

_Do you know the consequences of mercy? The cost of it._

Reyna's eyes drifted open, and she stared at the ground below her face. The dirt was stained red with blood. She tried to lift her head, only for pain to run through her skull. It took her a moment to place her head back to the ground and swallow painfully. Her mouth tasted like iron. Like blood.

Reyna coughed miserably and spat some of the blood out. The last thing she remembered was Scipio talking to her. Scipio, the man that she admired, was nothing more than a monster. How could she be so dumb? How could she trust him? This is why she didn't let her stupid feelings get in the way.

Her entire body ached, and it hurt to just exist. She closed her eyes and groaned painfully. It took her a few moments to bring her hand to her face and feel all of the dried blood there. What had happened? What had Scipio done to her?

_Whether it be from a moment of weakness or a slip of judgment, mercy is given, but until you see the consequences of it, you cannot understand why you should never give it._

Reyna lifted her head and slowly looked around. She wasn't in a forest anymore. Everything around her was dirt, and there were ruins everywhere. Reyna blinked a few times and slowly rolled onto her back. She pressed her elbows against the ground and slowly pushed herself up.

To her right, there were large buildings that had most of the lights out. No cars drove by. There was an actual moon in the sky, and it seemed like she was back in the present time. But how? Reyna made it to a sitting position. Pain shot through her entire body, but it focused on her shoulder.

Reyna blinked a few times and looked to her side. She focused on the lump across from her. Not a lump. A person. Reyna slowly made it to her feet and stumbled towards them. She collapsed to her knees next to them and stared at Thalia's pale face. A dagger was buried in her stomach.

Reyna examined all of the blood that covered Thalia's shirt. She lifted the shirt and tensed at how wet it was. Reyna spoke softly, "It's going to be fine, Thalia. I'm going to get you help."

If Thalia was conscious, she gave no indication. Her breathing was shallow, and her face was a scary shade of pale. Reyna searched her pockets and then Thalia's pockets for any medicine. Upon not finding any, she swallowed painfully

"I told her to work with me," Scipio said. Reyna quickly stood and turned towards Scipio. She took a step backward and placed a hand to her shoulder. Scipio moved closer to her. "I didn't want to hurt Thalia Grace."

"But, you did," Reyna snapped. She glared at him. The only weapon near them was the one currently buried in Thalia's stomach. Ripping it out wasn't an option, so the only thing she could do was glare at Scipio. "What do you want?"

"I just want to be free," Scipio answered. He looked around. There was no anger on his face. He seemed amazed, confused, and maybe even a little scared. "I have missed so much."

Reyna clenched her fist and glanced back at Thalia. What was she going to do? She was weaponless and injured. Scipio had managed to hurt her just by snapping his fingers. After a few moments, Reyna spoke, "Where is the book?"

"This?" Scipio questioned. He held up the Sibylline Book. Reyna stared at it and slowly took a step forward. Scipio tossed the book on the ground. "I don't need it. I'm free."

"I don't understand," Reyna began. She slowly stepped towards the book. Scipio didn't stop her. Reyna scooped up the book and cradled it. Then, she stepped back towards Thalia. "Are you going to kill us?"

"No," Scipio answered. "I was not going to hurt her, but then, she attacked me. I had to subdue her and use her to free us from the barrier."

"How?" Reyna asked. Scipio didn't answer, but his eyes moved towards the book. Reyna looked at it as well. The pages did have blood on them, and some of the pages were wrinkled and partially torn. She opened the first page and saw that it had been torn out.

"All it took was a little demigod blood and a page from the book. She was unconscious by the time I forced her hand to press it against the barrier. I don't think the effort killed her," Scipio explained. He sighed. "A demigod from the outside had to free me."

"Why do all of this/" Reyna demanded. "Why did you turn on me? I would have helped you."

"Because the book would have told you," Scipio said. "It would have shown you, and you wouldn't have helped me. You might have even tried to destroy the book. I could not take the chance."

Reyna looked down at the book. It wasn't telling her anything now. It was just mocking her, showing her that she had failed. Thalia was hurt, and this monster had escaped. Reyna spoke, "We were needed to destroy the barrier. Why keep us alive now?"

"I never wanted to hurt you. I just wanted to be free," Scipio insisted. "The sooner you understand that the better. I only hurt Thalia because she attacked me and wouldn't stop fighting. I only hurt you because it was the only way to get her to follow us and not attack until we were at the barrier. You are mad at me, but you should be mad at Lupa."

"She knew. Didn't she?" Reyna asked. Scipio nodded once. Reyna looked down. "The letter that she gave us. The fallen wolf of Rome is you."

"Remus," Scipio corrected. He sighed and shrugged. "Which I guess is me, and I think she knew that. She helped me, somehow. I just can't remember, but she knows who I am."

"How did she help you," Reyna demanded. She looked back at the book, and her eyes focused on the page. Reyna blinked, and she found herself in a different place. The world was dark, and a cold feeling shot through her heart. It felt like invisible walls were closing in on her, and it became hard to breathe.

Reyna looked around for Scipio and Thalia, but there was no one around. She closed her eyes tightly. When she opened her eyes, she saw two figures in the distance. One seemed to almost be a phantom. Reyna could see through them and could barely make out the silhouette of a man.

Another figure followed behind: a wolf. Reyna slowly moved closer and studied the wolf's red fur. Lupa looked in her direction. Then, the wolf goddess looked the other way.

"I do not understand," the figure said. Their accent was like nothing Reyna had ever heard before. "You let me die! Now, you want me to go for rebirth!"

"I know you can get three great lives," Lupa said. The figure didn't say a word. "You are like a son to me. Do you trust me? Remus. Please."

Remus didn't answer. He just let out a shaky breath and stepped forward. He looked down and suddenly jumped. Reyna saw the splash of water, and Remus disappeared underneath darkness. Lupa suddenly darted forward. She grabbed onto Remus' hand before it disappeared and pulled him out of the water.

Remus coughed out water and slowly rolled onto his back. He stared upwards and blinked a few times. Remus slowly spoke, "Mother? Where are we? What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Lupa asked. Remus sat up and looked at the ground. A dark look passed through his eyes, but his back was to Lupa.

"Brother and I were building the city. We were close to getting done. What happened?" Remus asked. A look almost like a sad smile came to Lupa's face.

"You died from overexertion," Lupa said. "But, I made a deal with the lord of this place. You can go for rebirth with your memories intact."

"Rebirth," Remus whispered. He looked down and stumbled backward. Remus sat. "I died? My brother is alone? I think I need time."

"Take all the time you need. I will leave you alone," Lupa said softly. She turned and walked away. Remus took a shaky breath.

"You won't get away with this mother," Remus promised. A bright light appeared behind him, and Reyna blinked. A small gasp escaped her as she was back in reality and staring down at the Sibylline Book.

"And that is why I couldn't just leave anything to chance," Scipio said. Reyna slowly looked up at him. "The book is more than just pieces of parchments with words on it. The power of the Sibylline Books is incomprehensible. It can show the past and warn of the future."

"Why don't you want it then?" Reyna asked. "This power-"

"Is dangerous," Scipio interrupted. "If I take that book, Lupa has a reason to hunt me down. She has a reason to send in all the Romans she wants with the support of the gods. Killing you gives her an excuse. Just walking away gives her nothing, unless she admits what she did. Do you know what the other gods would do if they knew that Lupa skirted the laws of rebirth?"

"You're just going to let us go?" Reyna asked in surprise.

"I have been telling you," Scipio said. He shook his head. "I didn't want to hurt you, but it was the fastest way. Now, you and Thalia Grace are going to walk away with the book. I am going to walk away and be free. From there, I pray our paths never cross again."

Scipio turned his back and started to walk away. Reyna watched him go. Part of her knew that it was her duty to chase him down and try to stop him. Scipio was Remus after all. He was a dangerous man and an enemy of Rome. But, Reyna had more important things to tend to. Reyna turned towards Thalia and knelt by her. She spoke softly, "Let's get you home."


	27. Out of the Nightmare

Thalia's eyes drifted open, and a soft groan escaped her. She placed one hand to her face and rubbed her eyes. After a moment, she snapped back into focus. She tried to sit up but hissed in pain. A hand moved to her stomach, and she slowly looked around the room that she was in.

This was not where she had passed out. Thalia remembered the fight with Scipio. All four seconds of it. The stupid Roman had caught her wrist, disarmed her, and then stabbed her in the stomach. From there, she didn't remember much.

It took a moment for Thalia to look around. If she was going to wake up in a familiar place, she wished it was her tent. It would be nice to see a few posters of bands on the wall along with a couple of bags in the other corner. Instead, there was just a single bed and nothing on the walls. There was also a statue.

There was a dresser in the corner of the room. This place was so nice and neat, and it smelled like cologne. Like Jason. Wait. Thalia knew this place. This was Cabin One, and it was her old home. It now partially belonged to Jason when he wasn't messing around at Camp Jupiter.

Thalia carefully sat up. She was no longer wearing her shirt, and there was a fresh pair of clothes near her. A bandage was resting over her stomach wound. Thalia carefully stood and put on the new clothes. She moved towards the cabin door.

One of two things could be happening. The first, she was having some kind of weird dream that would only give her more questions than answers. The second, she was at Camp Half-Blood and had somehow made it back there safely. Since scenario two was the most likely, she was left with the question of how.

What had happened between her passing out from blood loss and now? Or, was this some kind of dream? Thalia sighed softly and reached out for the cabin door. Before she could grab the handle, the door opened. Annabeth practically flew into the room.

"Hey," Thalia said. Annabeth was halfway to the bed, but she stopped and turned towards Thalia. Then, she wrapped Thalia into a gentle hug. "I miss you too."

"I was so worried," Annabeth said. She pulled away and looked at Thalia. "You were pale and covered in blood when they brought you in."

"They brought me in? Who are they?" Thalia asked. She placed a hand to her stomach and winced. Annabeth gave her a look. "Stop doing that. And save the lecture. I know what you're going to say."

"That you need to be in bed and resting," Annabeth said. She shook her head. "For my sake."

"I will," Thalia said. She sighed and walked towards the bed. If she didn't just agree, Annabeth would spend forever nagging her and bothering her. Without any more arguments, Thalia laid down on the bed and sighed deeply. "You do have to tell me what happened. Why am I here?"

"Well, I got a phone call earlier today," Annabeth answered. She sat by Thalia. "I didn't answer at first, but they called again. It was Reyna. She told me that she needed Nico to shadow travel to Tunisia."

"Tuna what?" Thalia interrupted. Annabeth gave her another look. "Hey. I have had a crazy day, and you're telling me that it happened at Tuna."

"Tunisia," Annabeth repeated."Nico shadow traveled there, and he found you barely conscious. Nico shadow traveled you and Reyna back here."

"How's Reyna?" Thalia asked after a few moments. She didn't meet Annabeth's eyes. Most of her thoughts went back to how Reyna had said that she loved Thalia and kissed her. Now that Thalia was calmer, she was realizing that she had completely blown off Reyna's feelings and insulted her. Reyna also called her a coward though, so that made it fair, right?

"Reyna passed out as soon as the three of you arrived," Annabeth said. "She lost a lot of blood too."

"And, she had a bad concussion," Thalia said. "Did Nico see anything odd when he arrived?"

"No," Annabeth said. She looked at Thalia. "Other than a freaking Sibylline Book! You guys actually found one?"

"Something like that," Thalia muttered. She sighed and sat up. Annabeth tried to protest, but Thalia shook her head. "Was there a man?"

"No. Nico just said he got there, and Reyna told him that you needed immediate help. I don't know how Nico made two long jumps back to back, but I think Reyna helped," Annabeth answered.

Thalia couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't pretend like nothing happened. Thalia looked at Annabeth and spoke, "Something happened while Reyna and I were looking for the book. She kissed me and admitted her love for me."

"Oh," Annabeth said after a few moments. She sat next to Thalia. "How are you handling it?"

"I thought she was trying to distract me, so Scipio could get the Sibylline Book," Thalia said.

"Scipio?" Annabeth asked with wide eyes. Thalia nodded. "Wait. Like the Scipio?"

"Yes. He's actually Remus. Long story. Hannibal was there," Thalia said. Upon looking to her side, she saw that Annabeth was staring at her with eyes and an open mouth. "Sorry. I should probably start from the beginning."

"You should," Annabeth said after a few moments. "Let's get you some food first. You can tell me everything after that."

* * *

Thalia leaned back in her bed as she finished the story. When Annabeth said they should talk about what happened, Thalia didn't expect Percy, Nico, Will, and Piper to join them. And Chiron. Well, Chiron was expected. Just not the rest of them.

So, Thalia told them the entire story. She didn't spare any details. Okay. She spared one detail. That was the whole Reyna confessing her love and then being turned down part. Everything else she shared though, like Scipio being Remus. That one went over well.

"So, Hannibal and Scipio," Percy said. He nodded and glanced at Annabeth. "Who are they?"

"A Carthaginian general who helped bring a war to Rome's doorstep," Annabeth whispered. "Scipio is an ancient Roman general. They were both alive during the Second Punic War, but apparently, they never died."

"And Remus helped create Rome. Wait. No. His twin brother Romulus killed him, right?" Percy asked. Annabeth nodded.

"I will be taking the Sibylline Book to Mount Olympus soon," Chiron said. "It will be given to Zeus, but I am sure that Lupa will want it."

"Lupa can want it, but she shouldn't get it," Thalia muttered. Everyone looked at her, but she just shrugged. "Did anyone message Camp Jupiter and let them know that Reyna's not dead?"

"We messaged Frank. He thought that she was dealing with an emergency with her sister," Piper answered. "Do you think Lupa pulled her away?"

"That's exactly what Lupa did," Thalia realized. "When Ella and Tyson first told us about the book, I saw eyes watching me from the forest. It was Lupa! I bet she went straight to Camp Jupiter and forced Reyna to look for the book. She hoped that Reyna would find the book before me."

"Lupa is not one to ask for help," Chiron said, which totally meant that he agreed with Thalia.

"What is Lupa going to say?" Piper asked. Chiron didn't answer, and it looked like he was lost in thought. "Should we even tell her?"

"No," Thalia said. She went to say more, but there was a knock at the door. It opened a moment later. Thalia expected to see a tall and angry wolf goddess. She was pleasantly surprised to see Reyna.

"Am I interrupting?" Reyna asked after a moment.

"Why are you out of bed?" Will demanded. He pushed himself off the wall. Nico smirked. He was leaning on the wall next to Will and had been quiet the whole time. Before Will could go off on a rant about how patients should properly act, Chiron placed a hand to his shoulder.

"Of course not, praetor. You should be resting though," Chiron said. He let go of Will and moved to Reyna's side. Chiron held the door open for her. Reyna glanced at the others and slowly stepped into the room. She leaned on the wall and rested her hand on her shoulder.

Reyna looked like she was wearing a spare set of clothes, but Thalia could see the bandage that was peeking through her shirt. His eyes were red, but considering she had cried tears of blood, she looked pretty good. Her face was still pale, and she looked like she was in pain.

"I'm fine," Reyna said after a moment. She tensed and exhaled painfully. "Thank you for the hospitality and the care. I am going back to Camp Jupiter."

"You need to rest," Annabeth protested.

"I told you not to get out of bed yet," Will said. Nico gave Reyna a look, and she looked away. That seemed to be the thing that made her feel bad.

"You look pretty bad," Percy added, and Annabeth didn't even elbow him.

"Will should clear you first," Piper said. Will quickly nodded his agreement. Reyna didn't respond. Her eyes focused on Thalia, but as they made eye contact, Reyna quickly looked away. She swallowed painfully.

"Seriously Reyna. They're all right, for once. You need to rest," Nico said. He moved to Reyna's side and grabbed her arm. A look of understanding passed between them. Did Nico know what was going on between Reyna and Thalia? "Your insides were almost liquefied."

"Almost," Reyna muttered softly, but she followed Nico out of the cabin. Will quickly followed behind them. Thalia stared at where Reyna had been.

"Hey, guys. Can I talk to Thalia alone?" Annabeth asked. Percy and Piper exchanged looks, but they both stood and left the cabin. Chiron nodded to them and followed behind. Annabeth turned towards Thalia. "What did you say to her?"

"A lot of bad things," Thalia admitted. "I told her that despite being bisexual, no one is going to love her back. She only had a crush on me to have an excuse for when I didn't like her back. And, I compared her to Luke and called her a traitor. In my defense, I was really mad."

Annabeth didn't say anything for a few moments. She finally spoke, "Why did you say those things? What made you made enough to say that?'

"I thought she was just trying to distract me," Thalia said. She sighed and rubbed her face. "I know what I did. I know  
that I shouldn't have said that. I was just so angry. I need to apologize."

"Give her time," Annabeth said. She rubbed Thalia's shoulder. "Did she really kiss you?"

"Yeah. I wasn't expecting her to do that," Thalia muttered. She rubbed her face. "It's been a very long day or night or however long it has been."

"You should get some more sleep," Annabeth said. "Chiron sent a message to Artemis as soon as you got here, but I don't know if she answered. We'll try again later."

"Alright," Thalia said. She laid back on the bed and tried to relax. Her thoughts bounced back and forth between what happened with Reyna and what happened in Carthage. What happened to Sibyl and Halima? Were they still trapped, or was the nightmare over? And what happened with Scipio? Had Reyna killed him? There was no other explanation for how they were safe.

What was Thalia going to say to Reyna? Sure, she could apologize for what she said, but Reyna should as well. Thalia sighed and laid her head back. They both regretted the things that they said, and Thalia would just apologize. The last thing on the list would be to find Lupa and demand to know what her entire role in this was. That sounded like a good plan, but first, Thalia needed to get some sleep.


	28. Inter Spem Et Metum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the final chapter. I hope everyone has enjoyed the story.

"Are you sure you're not going to run to the nearest Pegasus and try to get out of here?" Nico asked. Reyna almost didn't hear him. She was busy staring out at the sea and thinking over everything that happened. It took her a moment to look at him.

"I won't. I promise," Reyna said. She managed a small smile. They were sitting on the beach and had been talking for a few hours now. Well, it was Reyna sharing her story and then staring out at the water for about an hour. Nico had listened and tried to talk to Reyna about Thalia, but what was there to say?

Thalia didn't like Reyna back, and she made a vow. She would never like Reyna back, so it was fine. The praetor was destined to be forever alone, which was fine. She didn't care. Besides, she had more important things to focus on.

"Do you need help walking back?" Nico asked quietly. Reyna didn't answer. He nudged her knee with his. "Are you and Thalia going to be okay?"

"I don't know," Reyna admitted. She sighed and rubbed her face. Her shoulder ached with any small movements. The rest of her body also ached. Will had lectured her for a really long time about getting out of bed. Then, she pulled the card of not being a camper at Camp Half-Blood. So, he raised his voice.

Nico was the one who suggested a walk on the beach followed by just resting. Will actually agreed to it, as long as Reyna didn't try to run back to Camp Jupiter. Running was the easiest thing to do though. She wouldn't have to face rejection that way. She wouldn't have to face Thalia.

"Do you need help though?" Nico asked. Reyna glanced at him and shook her head. Nico carefully stood. "If you're not back in an hour, I will come back here for you."

"I just need some time alone," Reyna admitted. Nico nodded and gently grabbed her shoulder. He squeezed it and then walked away. Reyna stared out at the water and let out a deep sigh. She should have been happy.

They retrieved one of the long lost, thought to be destroyed, Sibylline Books. Chiron had taken the book to Mount Olympus. They survived. On paper, it was a mission accomplished. But, the truth was that Scipio had escaped. He was free to do whatever he wanted.

What did he want to do though? Scipio said he wanted to be free, but Reyna knew that he wanted revenge on Rome. He wanted to destroy what his twin had created. Did Reyna make a mistake in letting him walk free? Should she have tried to take him out, even though it would have killed her?

Reyna sighed and closed her eyes. What was she going to do about Thalia? The girl was immortal. How was Reyna suppose to avoid her for the rest of her life? That was impossible. An angry sigh left her, and she hung her head.

The only bright side was she would have a few days off to rest. And, those days would be spent thinking about Thalia. Why did she have this stupid crush in the first place? It was the most stupid, illogical thing she could have done. Reyna knew that Thalia wouldn't like her back.

"Praetor," a voice said. Reyna's head quickly shot up, and she looked at the person next to her. A cloaked figure sat by her. The cloak hung to them perfectly and hid all of their features. Silver eyes met Reyna's for a brief moment.

"Lupa," Reyna said softly. There had always been rumors that Lupa could appear in a human form. Reyna had never seen it or heard from someone who had. Until now.

"You're hurt," Lupa noted. She focused out on the ocean.

"Pretty badly," Reyna admitted. "Concussion. Stabbed in the shoulder. Lost more blood than I should have. Insides were almost liquefied. My blood was being boiled as well. Got thrown back in time with Scipio, who is Remus. And you knew."

"I knew," Lupa admitted. Reyna studied the wolf goddess. "I just made the mistake of hoping."

"Why?" Reyna asked. She looked back at the sand and swallowed painfully. "You knew that Remus hates Romans, but you let me walk into there. Not only that, you cheated the rules of death by pulling him out of the river."

"I did," Lupa said. A sigh left her. "You must understand, Reyna. I loved Romulus and Remus like they were my sons, and they were. I raised them, and I loved them."

"I was warned that the two would have a deadly disagreement, but I didn't want to believe it. I ignored all of the warnings and encouraged their competition. When Romulus struck Remus down, I was heartbroken. But, I was not going to allow Remus to just rot in the Underworld."

"You convinced him to go for rebirth," Reyna muttered. "Then, you pulled him out of the River Lethe."

"I prayed that it was just long enough to erase what happened to Remus before he died, and I thought it worked. When I pulled him out of the River Lethe, he asked me how he had died. When I told him it was from overexertion, he believed me. I thought I did it."

"Why would you send me there without warning me? You knew about Scipio, but you just let walk right in. Why wouldn't you warn me?" Reyna questioned. She looked up at Lupa. "Why?"

"A small part of me knew that Scipio remembered his past, but I buried that part. I forced myself to believe that there was no way Scipio could remember what had happened to him. That is why I sent the letter. I was warning Scipio not to become his old self," Lupa whispered. Reyna shook her head and let out an angry sigh. "Praetor."

"You're just bullshitting me!" Reyna snapped. She stood and turned on Lupa. "You grabbed me in the middle of the night and dragged me to that barrier. You shoved me inside with minimal supplies and no clue what I was doing! Even though you knew that Scipio was dangerous and hates Romans, you didn't tell me! Were you trying to get me killed?"

"No," Lupa said. She sighed and looked down at the sand. Lupa started to trace words into the sand. "You were not the first one that I have sent."

"Who was?" Reyna muttered. She walked a few feet away from Lupa and stared at the water.

"You know of Caligula?" Lupa asked. Reyna turned on the wolf goddess. "He walked into the barrier as a normal person, and when he exited, he was insane. He saw something that broke him."

"Yet, you still let me walk into the barrier," Reyna said angrily. She glared at Lupa. "Why?"

"I didn't know what drove Caligula insane. I just knew something happened there, but you are stronger than him. I knew you would survive," Lupa answered. Reyna felt anger filling her veins. She walked further away from Lupa and sat down on the sand.

It took a few moments for a shadow to pass over her. Lupa knelt by her and spoke, "I only created the barrier because Pluto learned what I did. He learned that I helped Remus cheat the laws of rebirth, and he sent his minions. I could not watch someone that I saw as a son be tortured and dragged back to the Underworld, without ever knowing why."

"If I had known that Scipio retained his memories, I would have let Pluto do as he pleased. I held out hope, and that was my mistake. When Pluto's hounds closed in, I made a deal with the Titan of time. He helped me create the barrier."

"And it just so happened that a Sibylline Book was inside," Reyna muttered. A noise like a laugh escaped Lupa.

"No. I put the book there. It gave me a reason to send a demigod through the barrier," Lupa said. She sat by Reyna. "The gods would not approve of a demigod going into a barrier just to destroy it, but if the demigod went there to retrieve the Sibylline Book, what could they say?

"I get loving someone so much that you would do anything for them, but you went too far," Reyna stated. She looked at Lupa. "I would do many things for my sister. I would not send someone into a situation without briefing them properly. I would let them know what they were walking into!"

"I am sorry," Lupa said. Reyna had been about to launch into another rant, but upon hearing those words, she looked at Lupa. The cloak made it impossible to see Lupa's face. "If I could go back, I would not have sent you."

"Is that because you feel bad that I got hurt or because Scipio is now free and you have no clue where he is?" Reyna asked. Lupa didn't say anything. Reyna shook her head and stood. "I should have known. The Romans are supposed to be your pack, Lupa. Your cubs. You don't treat your pack like that."

A growl sent a chill down Reyna's spine. She swallowed painfully but didn't look at Lupa. After a few moments, Lupa spoke, "Scipio may not harm any Romans, but he will harm me. Scipio, no Remus. Remus is going to hunt me down and try to destroy me."

Reyna remained silent and didn't say a word. Whatever she said would only get Lupa angrier at her. All she could do now was focus on the ocean. Lupa spoke, "He will succeed."

"He won't," Reyna muttered softly. She looked back at Lupa. "Camp Jupiter will protect you. By now, you should know that. What if he doesn't bother you though? What if he just leaves you alone?"

"Then, we are safe," Lupa said. "If he does attack me, he will destroy me. He will disrupt this world as we know it."

"We better hope that he doesn't try then," Reyna said. She sighed and looked down.

"I tried to find you," Lupa said softly. "I came back to the barrier, and it was gone. You were gone, but I found the blood on the ground. I also found a woman, laying in the rubble. She said her name was Halima."

"Where is she now?" Reyna slowly asked. She placed a hand to her shoulder and winced in pain.

"I sent her back to the temple her family served at," Lupa answered. "I also found traces of the ancient sibyl that first created the books. What happened there?"

Reyna stared at the water for a few moments. Then, she looked at Lupa and told her everything. Reyna held nothing back. Not her confession to Thalia. Not anything that Scipio said to her. Not the men that they killed. Reyna held nothing back, and when she was done with her story, she felt relieved. A sort of weight had lifted from her chest.

Lupa was silent for a long time, and  
she just stared ahead. Reyna wished she could see past the cloak and see what Lupa was thinking. Instead, she was left to wonder. Lupa finally spoke, "I am sorry, Reyna. I let you go in there unprepared for what you were going to face, and I regret it."

Reyna knew she probably should have accepted the apology. The last thing she needed was for a goddess to be mad at her, but at the same time, Reyna didn't care. She wasn't going to spare Lupa's feelings. The goddess already showed that she didn't care about Reyna. To keep from being disintegrated on the spot, Reyna just turned and stared at the water.

"Rest," Lupa ordered. She stood and looked back at Reyna. "Things may get much worse from here. Hopefully, they will not. If it does, I will be there for Camp Jupiter."

Without another word, Lupa turned and walked away. Reyna closed her eyes and sighed tiredly. She laid down on the sand and stared at the sky. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. The relaxing lasted about ten seconds before she heard the soft sounds of footsteps.

Reyna opened her eyes and lifted her head. She turned and saw Thalia. A curse almost left Reyna, and she closed her eyes again. Could she just pretend to be unconscious? Or dead? Would Thalia just leave her alone, or would she want to talk?

"Hey," Thalia said softly. Reyna heard Thalia sit next to her, and she forced her eyes open. She looked at Thalia. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Reyna answered. "I don't think I should have laid down."

"Here," Thalia began. She offered a hand. Reyna slowly took it and was pulled to a sitting position. "Will's going to yell at you for that."

"Will yells at me about everything, and I'm not even a camper here. He doesn't have the authority to do that, does he?" Reyna asked. Thalia sat by her.

"I answer to the goddess Artemis, and Will still yells at me," Thalia said. A small laugh left Thalia, and Reyna managed a smile. "You get used to it. He's just caring for his patients."

"It's like getting a double lecture though," Reyna said. "Will is going to yell at me, and then, the doctors at Camp Jupiter will yell at me."

"I'm in the same boat. I get yelled at by Will, and the three Hunters who double as our doctors take turns yelling at me," Thalia said. She sighed. "Artemis joins in sometimes too."

"You really get into trouble, don't you?" Reyna asked. She slowly looked at Thalia. "I never asked how you were feeling."

"Stomach hurts. I've had worse though," Thalia answered. She met Reyna's eyes. "I'm sorry, Reyna. I shouldn't have said those things."

"I shouldn't have kissed you," Reyna muttered. She shook her head. "And, I shouldn't have just admitted my feelings like that. I'm sorry."

"I was shocked," Thalia admitted. "I didn't realize that you had feelings for me, and I don't mean those things that I said. I was just mad and thought you were trying to distract me from the book."

"No. I meant everything that I said about having a crush on you," Reyna said. She looked at Thalia.

"And, I can't return those feelings. I'm sorry," Thalia whispered. Reyna looked away quickly and felt tears come to her eyes. It became hard to swallow, and she stared at the sand. Reyna knew this would happen. She just knew it. Why did she always put her heart out like that when she knew it was going to get broken?

Reyna made it to her feet and tried to walk away. She was an idiot. Why couldn't she keep her stupid mouth shut? Thalia had made a vow, and Reyna knew that. She still decided to have a crush on Thalia. A hand grabbed her arm.

"Hey, Reyna. You don't have to run away from this," Thalia said. Reyna slowly looked back at her. "I don't have feelings for you. I don't have feelings for anyone. You will find someone who will return your feelings one day. Just calm down and don't be afraid to put your heart out there."

"I keep trying, and it keeps biting me in the ass," Reyna muttered. She looked at the ground. "Jason. Percy. You. Why do I keep falling for people that I know won't return those feelings?"

"You're asking a logical question for an emotional problem," Thalia said quietly. "You can't control your feelings. They just kind of happen. I can't return your feelings, but I do want to be friends, Reyna. If you want to."

Reyna looked back at the water. She did want to be friends with Thalia, but how was she supposed to get over these feelings? It wasn't like she could snap her fingers and have everything be fine. Reyna finally spoke, "Yeah. I want to be friends, Thalia. I just need time."

"I know," Thalia said. "You'll find someone who is right for you, Reyna. I promise. And if not, the Hunters of Artemis are always an option."

"Did you say all of that just to make your pitch?" Reyna asked. Thalia looked at her with wide eyes and started to stutter out excuses. Reyna smirked. Thalia closed her mouth and glared. She gently hit Reyna's uninjured shoulder.

"Asshole," Thalia decided. She tried to look annoyed, but there was a small smile on her face. Reyna studied Thalia. "You're not going to keep being awkward around me, are you?"

"Always," Reyna answered. "I'll try to stop that though. We should both get back soon. And also, I'm sorry about the things I said too. You're not a coward. It's brave to look death in the face and sacrifice yourself for your friends. It's brave to hand over control of your destiny to someone else and have faith that they will make the right choice."

"You're not a traitor," Thalia said. "Your loyalty is something I aspire to have really. Throughout my entire life, I have been looking for a home. I haven't had loyalty to any place or anyone until I met Annabeth and Luke. Then, Luke betrayed me. He betrayed Annabeth and all of Camp Half-Blood. I ran away again, to the Hunters. I finally found something that I could be loyal to."

"But, you were always loyal to Rome. Even though Lupa threw you into that situation, I know you would still jump to her defense. You didn't spend years trying to find a place to be loyal to. You were just loyal to Camp Jupiter the whole time," Thalia said. Reyna laughed.

"No. I spent almost twelve years of my life looking for a home," Reyna said. She looked at Thalia. "My father was insane, and our home was more of a prison. Hylla and I escaped, only to run to Circe's island. It was destroyed, and we were taken by pirates. I have been fighting my whole life to find a home. Now that I have one, I will do whatever I can to protect it."

"I admire that," Thalia said. She placed a hand on Reyna's uninjured shoulder. "Let's get you back to the infirmary."

"As long as Will doesn't bother me," Reyna muttered. She followed Thalia from the beach. Another weight had lifted from her chest, and she felt more relaxed now than she had since first seeing Thalia in the Iris message at Camp Jupiter.

"Do you think Scipio will try anything? Or is he just going to live his life peacefully and die?" Thalia asked.

"I don't know," Reyna admitted. She glanced at Thalia. "But, we can get through this together."

"We can. No. We will," Thalia said. She grabbed Reyna's shoulder and gave her a nod. "Now, let's get some rest, or Will is going to yell at us."

Reyna nodded and followed after Thalia. She stared at the ground. Reyna didn't know what the future was going to hold. She didn't know if Remus would finally try to get his revenge or if he would just enjoy his new life. Reyna wasn't even sure how they would fight someone who could disable a Roman without touching them, but they would figure it out if they had to.

For now, Reyna would try to relax and heal up. She would also try to bond with Thalia. Even if they wouldn't have anything romantic, they could still be friends. Reyna would focus on preparing the Romans for whatever came next. If Scipio was smart, he would just take his second chance at life and disappear. If he decided that he wanted revenge, they would be ready.


End file.
